Critical Health Needs Addressed by Amerigroup Foundation in Louisiana to Create a Healthier Generation of Louisianans

Amerigroup Foundation activates approximately $500,000 in grants, while an additional $100,000 is donated to support innovative programs and community efforts

BATON ROUGE, La.--()--The Amerigroup Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Amerigroup Louisiana, has activated approximately $500,000 in health and wellness grants across Louisiana in 2016. Additionally, more than $100,000 in community relations funding has been distributed to sponsor community programs and health improvement efforts. Funded programs were selected for their efforts to address complex health needs and raise awareness about statewide health issues, particularly obesity, chronic disease, prenatal care and critical illnesses. Throughout the year, these sponsored programs and partnerships promoted the importance of health education, staying physically active, access to appropriate nutrition and making healthy lifestyle choices. They included the following:

  • The Foundation provided two Triple Play Program grants to local Boys & Girls Clubs that made it possible for more than 100 Louisiana youth to participate in Triple Play’s active lifestyle programs.
  • A grant to the American Heart Association progressed efforts to double the number of cardiac arrest survival rates by 2020 through Hands-Only CPR education and training. Amerigroup Foundation funding enabled the purchase and distribution of hundreds of CPR training kits. Additionally trainers were engaged to lead educational sessions, and more than 960 Louisianans have already been trained on how to perform lifesaving Hands-Only CPR.
  • A Foundation grant to the American Cancer Society helped engage NOELA Community Health Center to provide approximately 320 cancer screenings and nearly 3,200 health interventions across racially and ethnically diverse communities in New Orleans.
  • The March of Dimes received a Foundation grant to sponsor Centering Pregnancy programs and help raise preterm birth rates in Louisiana, where the number of premature births are the second highest in the nation. Amerigroup’s support has made it possible for more than 100 pregnant women in Louisiana to participate in Centering Pregnancy programs.
  • Foundation grants along with additional funding from Amerigroup Louisiana enabled the American Red Cross to respond with thousands of relief items and meals to those impacted by the tragic flooding in Louisiana. The Foundation also distributed additional support to the American Red Cross and through its Cares Fund, a program created to assist associates who have been impacted by disasters or are experiencing personal hardship.
  • An additional Foundation grant to Portlight Strategies supported efforts to establish an information hub for people with disabilities to access during and after the disastrous flooding that impacted Louisiana.

Amerigroup associates also raised approximately $5,000 for local charities and non-profits through personal donations and a Foundation program that matches volunteer hours with dollars. In addition to these funds, Amerigroup associates contributed more than 1,000 hours of their personal time in 2016, volunteering to help residents and improve communities across Louisiana.

“Amerigroup is committed to helping our communities thrive, grow and prosper,” said Virginia Plaisance, COO of Amerigroup Louisiana. “We are proud of the ongoing contributions being made by our Foundation, associates and partnering community advocates, and we are confident that together, we will build a better, healthier future for all of Louisiana.”

In addition to Foundation funding, Amerigroup Louisiana, the associated health plan that provides statewide Medicaid managed care services, donated more than $250,000 in 2016 to support local health and community improvement efforts. To learn more about Amerigroup Louisiana, visit www.myamerigroup.com/LA. For more information about Amerigroup Foundation efforts, see Amerigroup’s annual online Corporate Responsibility Report and read about its commitment to making a difference in people’s lives through the work of its associates, the philanthropic efforts of the Amerigroup Foundation, its diversity and inclusion initiatives, and its environmentally responsible business practices.

ABOUT THE AMERIGROUP FOUNDATION

The Amerigroup Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Amerigroup, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anthem, Inc. Together, with local, regional and national organizations, the Amerigroup Foundation works to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that Amerigroup and its affiliated health plans serve. Amerigroup Foundation funding is focused on strategic initiatives working to address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative with five areas of focus: Healthy Heart, Cancer Prevention, Healthy Maternal Practices, Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, and Healthy Active Lifestyle. These disease states and medical conditions include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company’s year-round Associate Giving program which provides a 50 percent match of associates’ campaign pledges, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. To learn more about the Amerigroup Foundation, please visit www.anthem.foundation.

Contacts

Amerigroup Media Contact:
Denise Malecki, 813-830-6986
denise.malecki@amerigroup.com

Release Summary

Amerigroup Foundation activates approximately $500,000 in grants, while an additional $100,000 is donated to support innovative programs and community efforts across Louisiana.

Contacts

Amerigroup Media Contact:
Denise Malecki, 813-830-6986
denise.malecki@amerigroup.com