CNO Awards $180,000 to 12 Nonprofits Through Invested in Giving Back Program

CNO Expands Associate-Driven Philanthropy

Invested in Giving Back Shapes Local Support

CNO Financial Group is increasing the scale of its associate-driven philanthropy through its Invested in Giving Back® program, awarding $180,000 to 12 nonprofit organizations in 2026. The program, now in its eighth year, empowers CNO employees to nominate and vote for community programs to receive corporate donations, and the company frames the initiative as a way to support causes in the communities where its workforce lives and works.

CNO says the program amplifies local impact by directing funds to a mix of health, hunger-relief and veteran-support organizations that associates select. Company executives, including Chief Marketing Officer Rocco Tarasi, describe the initiative as an extension of CNO’s community strategy that prioritizes measurable local outcomes tied to employee engagement rather than centralized grantmaking decisions.

The program’s design encourages sustained volunteer involvement and community ties by pairing donations with public recognition of associate volunteers and by planning to continue the effort annually. CNO highlights that the model both formalizes staff input on giving priorities and provides corporate funding to organizations that already receive hands-on support from employees.

Volunteer Spotlight: Stacy Muentzer Oakey

CNO names Stacy Muentzer Oakey, Manager of Consumer Field Programs and Pipeline Management, as its Volunteer of the Year for 2026 in recognition of more than 19 years with the company and extensive volunteer work with Scouting America’s Pathway to Adventure Council. Oakey serves as Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 216 in LaGrange Highlands, Illinois, and in 2025 logs more than 410 volunteer hours, including 16 nights of camping and roughly 1,500 miles transporting scouts to events to ensure access to outdoor programming.

Troop committee chair Mike Golm praises Oakey’s leadership and commitment, saying she sets a standard for volunteer service; CNO will allocate a $10,000 donation to the Pathway to Adventure Council in her honor as part of the Invested in Giving Back awards.

Recipients and Program Continuity

The 12 organizations chosen for 2026 cover cancer and Alzheimer’s support, food banks, children’s hospitals, veteran services and national hunger programs, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Philadelphia Region, the Greater Chicago Food Depository, No Kid Hungry and Wounded Warrior Project. CNO says it plans to maintain the Invested in Giving Back program annually to sustain associate engagement and create measurable, local philanthropic impact across its service regions.