Eagan, Minn. (PRWEB) May 07, 2015

Building on the legacy of making a healthy difference for all Minnesotans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) supported numerous programs and initiatives throughout 2014 that built healthier communities across the state. An overview of this work is showcased in Blue Cross’ 2014 community report, “A Healthy Minnesota.”

“A Healthy Minnesota” showcases how Blue Cross community initiatives— and employee dedication to volunteerism—supported the health of all Minnesotans throughout the year.

“Helping to make Minnesota a healthier place to live and work is at the core of what we do,” said Paula Phillippe, senior vice president of human resources and external relations. “Blue Cross is proud of the many achievements that our community partners realized in 2014. Additionally, we take great pride in knowing that so many Blue Cross employees dedicate their time and energy to make our communities even stronger. Our community report is our way of celebrating all of the great work that collectively is making a healthy difference for all Minnesotans.”

Blue Cross’ dedication to supporting Minnesota communities can be seen in the following:

Blue Cross Employees’ Philanthropic and Volunteer Efforts

•Nearly 1,600 employees participated in the company’s Volunteer Paid Time Off program, donating more than 16,000 hours of service to Minnesota communities.

•More than$ 1.1 million was raised through the 2014 Community Giving Campaign.

•Nearly $ 70,000 and more than 5,200 pounds of food was donated to the Minnesota Foodshare March Campaign.

Healthy Eating Programs

•More than 600 pounds of fresh produce were donated from Blue Cross’ Community Giving Gardens.

•Blue Cross’ Center for Prevention gave nearly $ 270,000 in matching fund to Farm to School, providing K-12 students access to fresh and supporting farmers in their communities.

Youth and Education

•The Blue Cross Foundation donated $ 75,000 to Parent Aware for School Readiness, a statewide program dedicated to help parents make smart choices in child care.

Seniors

•Blue Cross donated $ 250,000 to Act on Alzheimer’s to help foster supportive communities for individuals with dementia and their caregivers

Communities

•Blue Cross provided technical support and funding for Southern Prairie Community Care (SPCC), a collaborative health and community services effort among 12 southwestern Minnesota counties.

•Blue Cross supported efforts statewide that enhance access to quality and cost effective care including dental programs across Minnesota; Open Door Health Center, Mankato; Northern Dental Access in Bemidji; Lake Superior Community Health Center, Duluth; and Children’s Dental Health Services, Rochester

Tobacco Cessation

•Blue Cross and the Center for Prevention provided support to the “Breathe Free North” project, which teaches communities about the health risks of secondhand smoke exposure.

•Blue Cross and the Center for Prevention helped Leech Lake Tribal College institute a commercial tobacco-free policy on their campus.

To see all the ways Blue Cross supported the health and wellness of Minnesota communities in 2014, view the full community report, “A Healthy Minnesota,” at: http://www.bluecrossmn.com/communityreport.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (bluecrossmn.com), with headquarters in the St Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota’s first health plan and continues to carry out its charter mission today as a health company: to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. Blue Cross is a not-for-profit, taxable organization. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago.

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