This post is sponsored by Aflac. I was compensated for writing it, but all opinions are 100% mine.
2016 has been a year full of heartache for many. Divorces, deaths in families, job losses, heath issues - you name it, and the people in my life (and yours) have probably suffered through it. As the year comes to an end, the holidays that typically bring peace and joy to all can become an overwhelming burdensome time for those who have struggled just to survive in 2016...let alone thrive.
My childhood neighbors, Jenny and Anthony, recently got married and purchased their first home just a few months ago. What an awful time to suffer a major health incident! I was recently invited to help a local family make the holidays a little happier through a partnership that allowed me to be one of the #AflacHolidayHelpers who would spread a little cheer around Miami, and I knew exactly who I wanted to help: these old family friends that recently suffered some major medical setbacks that left Jenny, the wife, in the hospital for many weeks – which as you can imagine, but a huge damper on not only their daily livelihood, but their holiday season as well.
When someone has been out of work due to a major medical incident, it doesn't just affect their ability to provide during the holidays; it can affect things as basic as paying the rent, the water bill, buying groceries and more. It has filled my heart with joy to be able to help not only with getting this family back on track financially with their home, but to take them shopping to purchase incredibly fun presents for their children!
Because the holiday season is all about the children, isn't?
Why Supplemental Insurance is so Important
Supplemental insurance from Aflac pays cash when policyholders are sick or hurt, so that they can focus on recovery, not the financial stress that comes as a result of being out of work. Aflac knows that this time of year can be a particularly challenging time for people without supplemental insurance and might be dealing with the aftermath of a serious accident or health event. Did you know that in the United States, Aflac is the leader in voluntary insurance sales at the worksite?
When it came down to it, my friend struggled to regain her health and getting behind on their bills just added even more unnecessary stress - it's so important to focus on getting healthy once something happens! This ripple effect of the financial burden caused by an unplanned health event can be especially compounded around the holidays. This is the inspiration behind the #AflacHolidayHelpers program and why I was so grateful to be a part of the program and become a holiday helper to Jenny and Anthony!
Aflac has partnered with online influencers like myself around the country, as well as Kevin and Danielle Jonas, to contribute a combined $50,000 during the holiday season to help families like Jenny and Anthony, who are going through difficult times due to recent health events. These people may need help decorating their homes, purchasing gifts or paying bills that were difficult to cover due to their health event.
I was able to help Jenny and Anthony catch up on rent and their water bill, take them grocery shopping to prepare for their family Christmas dinner, and find great gifts for their boys too! While we as adults know that the holidays are about family and togetherness, there's just something so special to kids about waking up on Christmas morning and finding the presents they've been dreaming of under the tree!
New video games and an activity tracking watch to track their newfound interest in sports and health? Remote control cars? Check!
New clothes for the boys to play neighborhood sports in? Check!
A brand new bicycle to ride around the neighborhood? Check!
These are all magical things that make little boys so happy during the holidays, and it made my heart sing to be able to ensure that they have a very special Christmas! Having their mother in the hospital is emotionally scarring enough for these boys - bringing a little holiday cheer into their lives is just a small way of showing them that everything is going to be okay!
While we have a glaringly obvious lack of snow in South Florida, it is definitely ski season in other parts of the world, and Aflac recently debuted a new ad, “Ski Patrol,” which takes a light-hearted approach to highlighting how life often throws you the unexpected that can ultimately impact you and your family’s lifestyle.
The commercial remindsus to make sure we’re protecting our health and our lifestyle with help from supplemental insurance, like Aflac’s. You should check it out! Aflac is there in your time of need – big or small.
To learn more about Aflac, visit aflac.com/lifestyle. Z161385H 12/16
Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.
Pamela J Christ says
I would like to make my husband's Christmas Wish come true. We are on Social Security. My husband is in heart failure and with medication, it's improving. He is also a new amputee due to clotting conditions. We are thousands in Medical debt with no way out. We barely have enough left over each month to pay some bills. Gas in the car and many medical co pays. He has a PS3 that is wearing out and he plays Battlefield at night with his friens who are also disabled and they call themselves "The Old Farts" This is the only entertainment that he can afford. He also needs a tool chest and toolbox. Model cars that he can put together and he likes the muscle cars. 1 month rent and 1 month utilities. This would be magic for him.