Entrepreneur honored for volunteerism

Bellmore entrepreneur Christina Shaw says she loves her job as an Allstate Insurance Company agency owner, but it’s obvious from her long list of volunteer activities that she loves her community too.

For her outstanding contributions and volunteer efforts, Shaw has earned the 2014 Ray Lynch Community Service Award –– the company’s top national honor recognizing an agency owner for giving back and making a difference in the community.

“Christina supports her community in every way possible,” said Agency Operations Vice President Linda Collora. “As a local business owner, Christina goes above and beyond the call of duty and is truly a face in this community, making a point to interact with, publicize and positively impact the greater good of the community and customers that live within it.”

Shaw, who opened her Allstate insurance business five years ago, supports the Merrick Lions Club, America’s Vet Dogs and the National Amputee Foundation by helping the groups raise money for service dogs and other services for veterans. She donates a scholarship to her high school alma mater, Kennedy High School, to help seniors who want to major in business go to college. And she turned her agency into a bone marrow donor test site, allowing customers to get swabbed for the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation’s Smiles for Shira.

During the aftermath of Sandy, Shaw rolled up her sleeves, grabbed a shovel and joined other New York agency owners and employees in building a Little Hands Playground at the Freeport Recreation Center. She gives the gift of food to families in need at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and gives her time and a donation to Feel Better Kids, a non-profit agency that provides wheelchairs for children.

The Ray Lynch Award is dedicated to the memory of former Allstate agent Ray Lynch of Fayetteville, N.C. Lynch built a successful agency around a remarkable record of service to his family, church and community.

“I am truly honored to receive this award,” Shaw said. “To recognize someone for the volunteering they do on their own is amazing.”

Along with the award, Shaw will receive a $5,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation, which she will donate to another organization she supports, the Susan Satriano Memorial Charitable Foundation Trust. The trust gives $1,000 scholarships to students whose parents are battling or have died of cancer.

“The Agency Hands in the Community grants are amazing,” Shaw said. “Allstate gives you this opportunity to connect with a charity of your choice. They don’t tell you it has to be this kind of charity or that kind of charity. It really makes a difference.”

Shaw’s Allstate Agency is at 2880 Merrick Road in Bellmore.