Release

Grant supports construction of The Dougy Center’s new facility for grieving families and kids

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 4, 2012-- The Standard Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Standard Insurance Company (“The Standard”), has awarded a $25,000 grant to The Dougy Center. The grant will support the The Dougy Center capital campaign, helping to rebuild the region’s leading service center for grieving children and replacing the facility that was destroyed in a 2009 arson.

“Research shows that childhood grief, when not addressed effectively, increases the risk of depression, substance abuse, suicidal behavior, anti-social behaviors, physical complications and criminal behavior,” said Donna Schuurman, E.D., FT, executive director of The Dougy Center. “As we break ground on our new facility, the support of organizations such as The Standard is critical in helping us mitigate these risks and meet the needs of grieving children and their families.”

The new facility will create a healing environment truly suited to the needs of the children and families served by The Dougy Center. The facility will support up to 10 percent annual program growth over a period of up to 10 years as the program expands from serving 400 grieving children per month to approximately 1,000 per month.

“At The Standard, we place special emphasis on helping individuals and families who have experienced a loss or setback such as a major disability or the loss of a loved one,” said Greg Ness, president of The Standard Charitable Foundation and chairman, president and CEO at The Standard. “Supporting an organization such as The Dougy Center, whose unique peer grief support program helps families cope with the loss of a loved one, is a reflection of our values and who we are as a company.”

Before The Dougy Center building was burned down, families seeking access to a support group were typically able to start within one month of completing The Dougy Center’s orientation program. After the fire, demand increased while program space decreased. The new building will expand service capacity and create new opportunities for community collaboration to address the unmet needs of grieving families. A ground-breaking ceremony was held Wednesday, April 18 in Portland, Ore.

To learn more about The Standard Charitable Foundation, please visit www.standard.com/foundation.

To learn more about The Dougy Center, please visit www.dougy.org.

About The Standard Charitable Foundation

The Standard Charitable Foundation is the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of The Standard. Founded in 2006, the Foundation’s mission is to make a positive difference in communities by supporting community development, education, disability and health organizations. While the Foundation has a broad goal of making a positive difference in communities, it places special emphasis on helping individuals and families who have experienced a loss or setback such as a major disability or the loss of a loved one. Since 2006, The Standard, its employees and The Standard Charitable Foundation have contributed more than $13 million in grants and social investments.

About The Standard

The Standard is a leading provider of financial products and services, including group and individual disability insurance, group life, AD&D, dental and vision insurance, retirement plans products and services, individual annuities and investment advice. For more information about The Standard, visit www.standard.com.

The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries: Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., StanCorp Mortgage Investors, Inc., StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., StanCorp Real Estate, LLC, and StanCorp Equities, Inc.

About The Dougy Center

The mission of The Dougy Center is to provide support in a safe place where children, teens, young adults and their families grieving a death can share their experiences. Today, The Dougy Center serves 400 children and their 250 adult family members each month. Our 27, open-ended peer support groups meet every other week and are divided by age, type of death (illness, sudden death, murder, suicide) and who died (parent, sibling). The concurrent 27 adult support groups meet at the same time for the caregiver of the child or teen who is attending group. Since its founding, The Dougy Center has served 30,000 children, teens and their families and has received national and international acclaim for our pioneering peer support model for helping children cope with the death of a family member.

Source: The Standard

The Standard
General Media
Bob Speltz, Director, Public Affairs, 971-321-3162
bob.speltz@standard.com
or
Investor Relations and Financial Media
Jeff Hallin, Assistant Vice President, Investor Relations, 971-321-6127
jeff.hallin@standard.com