Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross) invests in organizations and programs that promote healthier living in all 100 counties of the state. This directly supports the company mission, “to improve the health and well-being of our customers and communities.” Blue Cross makes community investments both through the company’s community relations outreach and through the company’s independent philanthropic affiliate, the BCBSNC Foundation.  

“We refer to our range of community support as investments rather than simply donations,” said Kathy Higgins, Blue Cross’ vice president of corporate affairs and president of the BCBSNC Foundation. “When we invest in communities across North Carolina, everyone who lives in our state enjoys the return on those investments. When a hungry family is able to eat three nutritious meals a day or when North Carolinians are leading more active lifestyles, it makes our state a better place to live for all of us.”

Just one example of this commitment was illustrated in 2015 by increasing access to healthy, nutritious food partnering with four food banks across the state -- supporting MANNA Food Bank in Asheville, Charlotte’s Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, Central & Eastern North Carolina Food Bank and Second Harvest of Northwest North Carolina. Gifts to these four food banks impacted food assistance programs in 82 of North Carolina’s 100 counties through more than 2,100 partner agencies.

In addition, Blue Cross encourages employees to invest in their community. Employees volunteered more than 399,000 hours to community projects since 1997 -- time valued at more than $7.1 million.

Since 2000, the BCBSNC Foundation has invested more than $110 million into North Carolina communities through more than 865 grants and special initiatives. Among many others, the BCBSNC Foundation is a founding supporter of Kids in Parks (a program of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation), invests significant resources in improving oral health in North Carolina through the NC Oral Health Collaborative, and partnered with the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC), to develop Shape NC, a multi-faceted approach to addressing childhood obesity via child care centers.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) released its eighth annual “Investing in America’s Health” (IAH) report Monday. The report shows the impact of all 36 Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies’ on improving the health of Americans. Collectively, over $350 million went toward community project funding across all plans. Employees also volunteered nearly 400,000 hours, and donated nearly $10 million to community health initiatives in 2015.

“The commitment of BCBS companies and their employees to improving the health and wellness of the people they serve cannot be understated,” said Scott P. Serota, president and CEO for BCBSA. “As America’s healthcare leaders, BCBS companies take great pride in building on our 87-year legacy as true healthcare pioneers and trusted partners to the communities we serve.”

To learn more about how BCBS companies are improving the health and wellness of members and their communities, view the report at bcbs.com/investingincommunities.

About Blue Cross:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina improves the health and well-being of our customers and communities by providing innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.89 million members, including approximately 1 million served on behalf of other Blue Plans. Since 1933, we have worked to make North Carolina a better place to live through our support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. We have been recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute every year since 2012. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Visit Blue Cross online at bcbsnc.com. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

About the BCBSNC Foundation

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation (BCBSNC Foundation) is an independent philanthropic affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of North Carolinians. Visit Blue Cross Foundation online at bcbsncfoundation.org.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for over 107 million members – one in three Americans.  For more information on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit www.BCBS.com.  We encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out The BCBS Blog for up-to-date information about BCBSA.