The Federated Challenge set a number of records in 2024.
With a record number of sponsors (105) and attendees (nearly 700), it came as no surprise that the gala raised a record $4,537,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Federated Insurance covers all Federated Challenge expenses, so 100 percent of that money is donated to the three Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies in Minnesota – Twin Cities, Central Minnesota, and Southern Minnesota – and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Last week, Roger Bailey – Vice President – General Manager of Corporate Relations and Travel at Federated Insurance – was in St. Cloud to present a check to the Central Minnesota BBBS agency. After the record-setting event, Federated Insurance donated $687,000 to BBBS of Central Minnesota – Federated’s largest donation to the Central Minnesota agency to date. A portion of the donation will go to scholarships for current and former High School Bigs and Littles to attend a non-four-year post-secondary program, and the remainder will help BBBS create, support, and maintain matches between volunteer mentors and youth mentees.
“We are overwhelmed by the generosity,” said Jackie Johnson, Executive Director at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota. “Not just of the Federated Challenge and Federated Insurance, but of all 105 sponsors and each and every one of the people who attended the gala and helped raise a record-setting amount to help support kids. The state of Minnesota is so lucky to have a community partner like Federated Insurance that understands how important it is to serve and support kids, and we are so grateful for their support of our mission.”
All of these records came on the event’s 20th anniversary, and in the final year of Federated Insurance Chairman and Federated Challenge Chair Jeff Fetters’ tenure with the company and the event. Fetters recently announced he will retire from both at the end of 2024, and Federated Insurance President and CEO Nick Lower and his wife, Jessica, will take over as chairs of the Federated Challenge starting in 2025.
“We can’t even begin to thank Jeff for the work he has done for our agency, for kids across Central Minnesota, and for kids around the state,” Johnson said. “Jeff and his team of amazing individuals put everything they had into the Federated Challenge each year to make sure it was another amazing event, and we are so excited to see where Nick and Jessica take it starting next year.”
The Federated Challenge was founded in 2005 as a two-day fund-raising event hosted by Federated Insurance, a commercial insurance company headquartered in Owatonna, Minnesota. Now in its 20th year, this event has raised more than $57 million for youth mentoring programs. Visit www.federatedchallenge.org for more information.