RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation announced today it has committed more than $1.9 million in grants, community support and associate donations to Virginia organizations on the frontlines of supporting local communities and families where COVID-19 relief is most needed.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation is committed to the whole health of individuals and families. In the current public health crisis, that means working with partner organizations to provide emergency response, access to food, protective and medical equipment, volunteers, human services and addressing education and technology needs. The foundation will evolve its community support efforts to meet communities’ changing needs in the coming weeks and months.
“Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has been part of the fabric of Virginia for nearly 85 years. We have deep roots here and we understand how this pandemic is impacting families and communities,” said Jeff Ricketts, president, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia. “The actions we announced today are part of a larger coordinated response to COVID-19 and are guided by our never-ending commitment to improve the lives and communities of Virginians.”
Highlights of the foundation’s ongoing commitment to COVID-19 response include:
- Support of United Way’s Statewide Coronavirus Recovery Program ($25,000 donation) to help vulnerable individuals, families, and organizations across Virginia through financial assistance, access to critical programs and services, and working with partner agencies to help provide a stable recovery for Virginia communities in the coming years.
- From children who rely on school lunches, to seniors and people with disabilities who have challenges leaving their homes, food access is one of Virginia’s biggest needs emerging from COVID-19. Through support of Virginia’s Feeding America Food Banks ($125,000 grant and donation) and the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education ($100,000 grant), the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation is helping support emergency food programs at food banks and community colleges across Virginia. Food pantries are currently the only areas open on community college campuses to help ensure students and their families have access to food during the pandemic.
- Support of Boys & Girls Clubs ($135,000 grant) across Virginia to help provide nutritious food and e-learning opportunities for schoolchildren and families impacted by school and club closures due to COVID-19.
- As an essential service provider, Senior Services of Southeast Virginia ($37,000 grant) is addressing multiple needs for seniors who are the most vulnerable to COVID-19. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation funding is helping them respond to requests from seniors for personal care items, cleaning and disinfecting products, utilities, rent or mortgage payments, and other emergency needs identified on a daily basis.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation continues to work with partners such as the American Red Cross, Americares, Direct Relief and numerous others to ensure access to emergency assistance for individuals and families, provide personal protective equipment and training for frontline healthcare workers, and help children and families affected by layoffs and school closures across the state gain access to nutritious food.
In observance of National Volunteer Month in April, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation announced that it doubled the matching contribution to $2 for every $1 donated by associates across the country as well as doubling paid volunteer time to $20 per hour, which associates can donate to the nonprofit of their choice.
To date, Anthem associates in Virginia have logged nearly 3,000 volunteer hours and donated more than $180,000 to support COVID-19 response efforts in Virginia. Volunteer efforts include providing meals to the frontline healthcare workers and engaging in ‘virtual volunteering’ such as online teaching and telephone outreach to seniors or those isolated during this time of need.
“We know the needs of individuals and the community will continue to evolve rapidly,” said Ricketts. “Anthem and its associates will continue to adapt and respond with caring, compassion and necessary support to guide us through this crisis and aid the recovery.”
About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation
Through charitable grant making, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation LLC, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, promotes Anthem’s inherent commitment to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield serves. The Foundation focuses its funding on strategic initiatives that make up its Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets: maternal health, diabetes prevention, cancer prevention, heart health and healthy, active lifestyles, behavioral health efforts and programs that benefit people with disabilities. The Foundation also coordinates the company’s year-round Dollars for Dollars program which provides a 100 percent match of associates’ donations, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. ®ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.