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Stanny named Allstate Foundation’s
economic empowerment spokeswoman

During a reception as part of the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s annual congressional Lobby Days, The Allstate Foundation announced that renowned author and women’s finance expert Barbara Stanny agreed to become its new economic empowerment spokeswoman.

“Barbara is best known for helping women realize their financial power,” said Jennifer Matya, senior communication consultant, The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program. “Her experience and expertise make her the ideal person to help women overcome financial inequalities that society presents them.”

Stanny, the daughter of H&R Block co-founder Richard Bloch, is a victim of financial abuse herself. Stanny’s ex-husband lost her inherited fortune through poor business decisions and massive gambling debts -- and now she speaks to women across the country in hopes of helping other women avoid what she went through. She has written three books and has frequently been featured in various media outlets such as Good Morning America, The View, The New York Times and USA Today.

“It’s a great honor to be involved with The Allstate Foundation and this very worthy cause,” said Stanny. “They’re making people realize that domestic abuse isn’t limited to just physical and verbal abuse.”

Stanny’s arrival isn’t the only news that The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program made recently. In June, the Foundation held a roundtable discussion about financial abuse in New York City with members of national media. Among the attendees to the roundtable were reporters from Newsweek, Self, Family Circle and Women’s E-News. Reporters talked with survivors of domestic abuse and experts on women’s issues and finances about economic abuse and ways women can empower themselves financially.

In May, The Allstate Foundation also hosted a media training for its own panel of national spokespeople. The 25 members of the Survivors’ Speakers Bureau visited home office to be trained by Allstate’s national media team. The training helped prepare the Speakers Bureau members to speak on behalf of the Foundation during future media opportunities on a local and national level.

“The stories that these women have to share with the country are powerful and compelling and they are best told by those who lived them first hand,” said Jennifer Duda, senior communications consultant for the program.

“We’ve barely even begun our discussion with the nation on this important issue,” said Stanny. “But thanks to The Allstate Foundation, we’re developing innovative programs and providing much needed resources around economic empowerment.”