UnitedHealthcare to Host “Do Good. Live Well.” Community Events in Chicago

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UnitedHealthcare will host events in Chicago Saturday, Aug. 28, as part of its “Do Good. Live Well.” campaign to promote the benefits of volunteerism to individuals and their communities.

“Our goal with these events is to empower people to make a positive difference in their own personal well-being by making small changes in their everyday lives and giving back to their communities”

The celebration will include a free health fair where residents can obtain health screenings, fitness advice and healthy-cooking demonstrations. The day will also feature family volunteer opportunities with the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

“Our goal with these events is to empower people to make a positive difference in their own personal well-being by making small changes in their everyday lives and giving back to their communities,” said Terry Clark of UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare business and a Chicago native.

The day will begin at the Greater Chicago Food Depository where more than 100 UnitedHealthcare employees, families and friends will work at various food pantries and organize a food drive for Chicagoans who need it most. The Greater Chicago Food Depository distributes 66 million pounds of food, including more than 15 million pounds of produce each year, to pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in Cook County.

“The need for emergency and supplemental food assistance has never been greater,” said Kate Maehr, CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. “Volunteers help make us one of the most efficient charities around. We’re proud to partner with UnitedHealthcare for this event – and we appreciate the company’s commitment to the communities it serves.”

The free health fair, located at Dominick’s at 1340 S. Canal Street, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to the public. Access Community Health Network, a federally qualified health center (FQHC) with nearly 60 community health centers in Cook and DuPage counties, will conduct free health screenings with support from the Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition and Illinois Eye Institute.

In addition to celebrity and community leader appearances, representatives and volunteers from several community organizations, including AARP Illinois, Dominick’s, Common Threads, Kenmore and Killerspin, will also participate.

UnitedHealthcare’s day of activities in Chicago is one in a series of volunteering events across the country connected with its “Do Good. Live Well.” initiative – a collaboration between UnitedHealthcare and the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s iParticipate campaign – to inspire a new level of service and volunteerism in America.

According to a recent survey by UnitedHealthcare and VolunteerMatch, 84 percent of respondents agreed that volunteering improves physical health, and 95 percent agreed that volunteering improves emotional health. Eighty-nine percent of volunteers reported an actual improvement in their sense of well-being, and 68 percent reported an actual improvement in physical health. The complete survey is viewable here.

Beyond the “Do Good. Live Well.” initiative, UnitedHealthcare also supports YMCA programs dedicated to obesity prevention for children, families and adults at risk of developing chronic diseases. The company’s 2009 Social Responsibility Report, “Healthy Living. Healthy Communities.” is viewable here.

For more information about the benefits of volunteering and to find local opportunities to get involved, visit www.dogoodlivewell.org. Follow @DoGoodLiveWell on Twitter or “like” Do Good. Live Well. on Facebook.

About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (www.unitedhealthgroup.com) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making health care work better. With headquarters in Minnetonka, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of health benefit programs through UnitedHealthcare, Ovations and AmeriChoice, and health services through Ingenix, OptumHealth and Prescription Solutions. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 75 million people worldwide.