INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Nine organizations will share $685,000 granted from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation (Anthem Foundation) to help improve health and access to health care. This brings the Foundation's giving to nearly $3.5 million in the company's nine states so far this year. The announcement was made at the Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School in Indianapolis, where a school-based health clinic will be provided as a part of one of the Foundations' grants.
"Improving access to affordable, quality health care is key to addressing the growing problem of the uninsured in our country and to helping people improve their health. Through our Foundation grants, we collaborate with community organizations to make a positive difference," said Anthem Foundation Board President David Frick at the announcement, where he was joined by Indianapolis Deputy Mayor Carolyn Coleman, Learning Well CEO Donna Stephens and Marcus Robinson, Tindley School principal and CEO.
The new grants primarily focus on improving access to health care and related services for children and adults in Indiana, Virginia and Kentucky.
Learning Well - A Partnership for Better Student Health, Indianapolis -- $100,000 to establish at least two school-based health clinics and to support programs that address childhood obesity and asthma. Anthem is providing Learning Well with its first corporate grant. Learning Well's partners also include hospitals, non-profit health organizations and Marion County public and private schools.
"Students without health care are often the same students who miss a lot of school. All children should be given the opportunity to learn more by learning well," said Donna Stephens, CEO of Learning Well. "Thanks to Anthem's generous support, we can begin expanding care to more children in schools so they can get well and stay well giving them a better chance for success in school and in life."
Said Tindley Principal and CEO Marcus Robinson, "this clinic will meet a tremendous need for preventive and basic health care services for our students and alleviate a burden on many of their families."
Added Deputy Mayor Carolyn Coleman, "This collaboration among Anthem, Learning Well, the Tindley Accelerated School and the Marion County Health Department shows how we can work creatively to improve health and education, and provide students with the opportunity to be successful in life."
St. Francis Neighborhood Health Center, Indianapolis -- $60,000 to expand services to a growing number of uninsured residents, including wellness and fitness education and counseling, chronic disease education, substance abuse prevention and mental health assessments and referrals. In 2003, the center, located in the Garfield Park neighborhood, served nearly 2,800 patients through more than 8,000 office visits. Since 1999, the center has more than doubled the amount of medical services provided to the community, from more than $821,000 to nearly $1.8 million in medical services.
Sisters of St. Francis Health Services "Project Access," Northern Indiana -- $60,000 for clinics in Hammond, Michigan City and Crown Point to provide more care to the working poor, serve more patients and track patient behaviors and health over time. In Hammond and Crown Point, Anthem's $20,000 grants will each be matched 1-to-1 with challenge grants from those cities resulting in $40,000 to each clinic. Funding for the St. Francis projects will be distributed through the St. Francis Healthcare Foundation.
Trinity Free Clinic, Hamilton County, Indiana -- $15,000 to purchase prescription drugs. Anthem also paid for the clinic to join NPower Indiana, a non-profit technology organization, to help it improve its use of technology.
Bon Secours Richmond Health Care Centers, Virginia -- $215,000 over two years for CARE-A-VAN, a mobile health clinic. The van is projected to see 12,000 patients in its first year.
7 Free Clinics in Virginia -- $132,000 to implement a diabetes wellness program that uses the American Diabetes Association's guidelines. The clinics are Commonwealth Clinic, CrossOver Ministry Free Clinic, Free Clinic of Franklin County, H.O.P.E., Harrisonburg-Rockingham Free Clinic, Rescue Mission Health Care Center and Rockbridge Area Free Clinic.
American Cancer Society's HOPE Lodge, Lexington, Kentucky -- $50,000 to help provide a home away from home, counseling and referral services at no cost for cancer patients and their families while patients are undergoing treatment.
Second Helpings, Indianapolis -- $28,000 for two vans to rescue and deliver food to those in need. Second Helpings also provides job training in culinary arts.
YMCA of Southwestern Indiana, Evansville -- $25,000 to help the YMCA expand its facilities and better serve adults and children not presently served by the YMCA.
The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation is a private corporate Foundation dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of the communities where Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield works and lives through targeted charitable giving. Established in 2000, the Foundation awards grants to programs and initiatives that: help people in Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield communities manage and improve their health; enrich the greater community; or are supported by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield associates. For more information about the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, contact Vicki Perkins at (317) 488-6216.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield FoundationCONTACT: Deborah New of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation,+1-317-488-6350