What are you doing the morning of Wednesday, May 15?
I’ll be joining hundreds of our nation’s leaders at the ACLI Capital Challenge road race in Washington D.C. For the 42nd time, participants from the three branches of the federal government and the media will compete in this popular nation’s capital tradition.
The ACLI Capital Challenge benefits Junior Achievement USA and its financial education and literacy programs for students across the nation. Last year, we donated $150,000 to Junior Achievement, which serves more than 4.4 million students in all 50 states.
The life insurance industry’s partnership with Junior Achievement doesn’t end on race day. Throughout the year, ACLI member companies support local JA chapters from coast-to-coast. And ACLI hosts Zoom calls between members of Congress and Junior Achievement students from their home districts, where they discuss the importance of the students learning about financial matters at a young age. This is invaluable because research shows that improved financial education and literacy can help close the racial wealth gap.
Last year more than 600 runners and walkers helped us raise money for Junior Achievement by finishing the three-mile ACLI Capital Challenge. Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) retained their titles as the fastest members of Congress. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) competed for the 17th time, while Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) made their ACLI Capital Challenge debuts. Other notable participants included Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Mike Levin (D-CA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), as well as several prominent members of the executive and judiciary branches and the Washington press corps.
We hope to see all of them again three months from today, along with many other returning and first-time Capital Challenge competitors. Rain or shine, it will be three miles for 4.4 million kids!
Susan K. Neely was President and CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), the nation’s leading trade association determined to help families live better lives by achieving financial security and certainty. As president and CEO, Neely drove public policy and advocacy on behalf of ACLI’s member companies that represent 93 percent of industry assets and serve 90 million families. She is CEO Emeritus through December, 2024.
