The Heart of a Corporation: Amica's Deeply Personal War on ALS

LINCOLN, RI – July 28, 2026 – On a warm July day at the Amica Insurance headquarters, Chairman, President and CEO Ted Shallcross sat on a dunk tank platform, waiting for the inevitable splash. This was the CEO Challenge, an annual fundraiser that, this year, collected an impressive $39,242 for ALS United Rhode Island. But the water that soaked Shallcross carried more weight than usual. It was a baptism of remembrance.

This year’s event was dedicated to Rachel Jones, a 27-year Amica employee who lost her battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) this past February. The poignancy was palpable. Just one year prior, it was Rachel herself who had the honor of drenching her CEO. This time, her husband and son stood with Shallcross, embodying both the profound loss and the enduring spirit that now fuels the company’s commitment.

“As we come together again, we do so with deep gratitude for Rachel’s impact and a shared commitment to carrying forward a cause she cared about so deeply,” Shallcross shared with the crowd. His words captured a fundamental shift, transforming a corporate philanthropy event into a deeply personal mission. It’s a story of how one individual’s journey can redefine a company’s purpose, turning abstract corporate values into tangible, heartfelt action.

A Legacy That Galvanized a Company

To understand the passion behind Amica’s fundraising, one must understand the impact of Rachel Jones. Described by colleagues as a force of nature, her influence extended far beyond her professional role. “I had the privilege of reporting to Rachel Jones for a good chunk of my career,” said Adam Biello, Senior IT Talent Specialist. “Rachel was many things: She was a servant leader who cared deeply about people, a lover of Disney World, the possessor of an irreverent sense of humor.”

When faced with her ALS diagnosis, Rachel responded not with resignation, but with action. True to her character as a “fighter,” she channeled her energy into advocacy, participating in crucial research studies and raising funds through community bike rides. She refused to be defined by her diagnosis, instead becoming a powerful voice within the ALS community. Her journey became a focal point within Amica, personalizing the disease for thousands of colleagues.

Her story illustrates a powerful dynamic in modern corporate culture: the move from top-down directives to employee-driven purpose. When a cause is embodied by a respected and beloved colleague, it ceases to be a line item in a CSR report. It becomes a collective responsibility, a way for a workforce to honor one of its own and rally against a shared adversary. Rachel’s legacy is not just in the memories of her leadership and humor, but in the galvanized community she left behind, more determined than ever to fight the disease that took her.

The Sustained Strategy Behind the Headlines

The $39,242 raised this year is just the latest chapter in a long-standing commitment. Over the past six years, Amica’s fundraising for ALS has surpassed $225,000. This sustained effort is not an anomaly but a reflection of a deeply embedded corporate ethos. Founded in 1907, the nation’s oldest mutual automobile insurer has woven community engagement into its operational fabric through The Amica Companies Foundation.

In 2025 alone, the Foundation directed nearly $6.5 million in charitable grants, but the numbers only tell part of the story. The real engine of its philanthropic success is its people. More than half of Amica’s 3,500 employees participated in giving or volunteer programs last year, a testament to a culture that actively fosters engagement. The company provides paid time off for volunteering and offers a generous 200% match for employee contributions to eligible nonprofits, a program that resulted in over $2.5 million in employee-directed giving in 2025.

Initiatives like the “I Care Day,” where employees can earn a day off by donating to nonprofits through payroll deduction, further empower the workforce to support causes they are passionate about. This structure ensures that when a personal tragedy like Rachel’s strikes, the mechanisms for a powerful, collective response are already in place. It’s a model of how corporate architecture can be designed not just for profit, but to amplify the compassion of its employees.

Where the Money Goes: The Local Fight for Life

The funds raised by Amica employees go directly to ALS United Rhode Island, a local organization on the front lines of a devastating battle. For those living with ALS in the state—where the prevalence rate is approximately 4.9 per 100,000 persons—the organization is a lifeline. The money doesn’t disappear into a national black box; it translates into immediate, free-of-charge services that preserve dignity and quality of life.

These services include home visits, patient advocacy, and monthly support groups that provide a crucial sense of community for patients and their families. A significant portion of the support comes in the form of an extensive equipment loan closet, providing everything from wheelchairs and hospital beds to sophisticated communication devices that allow individuals to remain connected as the disease robs them of their voice. The organization also funds transportation to medical appointments, respite care to relieve exhausted caregivers, and financial assistance for home modifications, making living spaces more accessible.

By partnering with a local entity, Amica’s contributions have a visible and direct impact on its own community. It’s a closed loop of compassion, where employees in Lincoln can raise funds that directly help a neighbor, a friend, or a family member navigate the immense challenges of ALS.

The Unrelenting Challenge of a Devious Disease

To appreciate the importance of this fundraising, one must understand the formidable nature of ALS. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that systematically destroys motor neurons—the nerve cells that connect the brain to the muscles. As these neurons die, the brain’s ability to control voluntary movement is lost. Patients experience progressive muscle weakness, leading to paralysis and the loss of ability to speak, swallow, and eventually, breathe.

The scientific community has made strides, yet the challenges remain immense. While several FDA-approved drugs like Riluzole and Edaravone can modestly slow progression, there is no cure. The recent approval of Tofersen (Qalsody) offers hope for a small subset of patients with a specific genetic mutation (SOD1-ALS), highlighting a promising future for precision medicine. However, the recent voluntary market withdrawal of Relyvrio, after a follow-up trial failed to show benefit, was a sobering reminder of the arduous path of drug development.

Researchers are battling a complex disease with varied causes, a lack of reliable biomarkers to track progression, and the formidable blood-brain barrier that blocks many potential therapies from reaching their target. This is why consistent, sustained funding is so critical. Every dollar raised at events like the CEO Challenge fuels the painstaking research needed to unravel the disease’s mysteries and develop therapies that can turn the tide. In the face of a disease defined by loss, the memory of one employee has become a catalyst for hope, proving that the most powerful corporate asset is often its humanity.