DURHAM, N.C. – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC), Charlotte Motor Speedway (Speedway) and the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte (LACCC) are teaming up to provide meals to those in need within the Charlotte community.
These organizations will be hosting a meal distribution event, as part of LACCC’s Community Kitchen Program, at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday, January 28, from 4:30 to 8:30 P.M. to distribute 6,000 hot meals from 25 local Latin restaurants to those in need. This drive-thru event is free and open to the public. Event attendees must enter through the entrance at 5555 Concord Pkwy S Concord, NC 28027.
LACCC’s Community Kitchen Program provides additional food security for families of essential workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic while also offering financial support for local, Latino-owned small businesses in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The program has already fed 8,000 families and supported 41 small businesses, and through Blue Cross NC’s $200,000 investment, the program’s reach will extend to impact an additional 600 families and support 30 small businesses.
“As an insurer that has served North Carolina’s communities for over 85 years, we have an ongoing commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of all North Carolinians,” said Reagan Greene Pruitt, vice president of marketing and community engagement at Blue Cross NC. “That’s why we continue to invest in organizations like LACCC that improve food security, and in turn, advance the health of their communities.”
LACCC launched the Community Kitchen Program in response to the pandemic early last year and began investing in Latino-owned small businesses in food services, including restaurants, food trucks, caterers and small grocery stores, that prepare hot food – ultimately, allowing them to remain open and keep employees on staff during North Carolina’s phased lockdowns that greatly impacted the hospitality industry.
As the pandemic continues into 2021 and the weather gets colder, the impact has gone beyond just hospitality. With fewer community members patronizing restaurants, many essential workers in the Latino community are receiving fewer work hours.
“With this funding from Blue Cross NC, LACCC is able to invest the funds back into Latinx businesses by purchasing meals and coordinating the delivery of hot meals to essential workers and their families,” said Gris Bailey, president and CEO of LACCC. “This helps us continue our program, which has already held 250 smaller distribution events, and improve food security for Charlotte’s Latino community.”
“As part of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ongoing partnership with Blue Cross NC, we’ve had the pleasure of working alongside them on several community initiatives in recent years, and this is natural extension of those efforts,” said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “Serving the community is part of our DNA, as it is for Blue Cross NC, and we’re excited to drop the green flag on this unique event to support those in need.”
For more information on the event, visit LACCC’s website. To find out how Blue Cross NC is supporting communities during COVID-19, click here.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina:
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) is committed to making health care better, simpler and more affordable. We have been driving better health in North Carolina for generations, working to tackle our communities’ greatest health challenges. We serve our customers and communities of more than 3.8 million members, including approximately 1.1 million served on behalf of other Blue Plans. Blue Cross NC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Visit Blue Cross NC online at www.bluecrossnc.com. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
About the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte:
The purpose of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte (LACCC) is to offer a sustainable bilingual platform of programs, events and services that engages, empowers and supports both Latino and non-Latino businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals in order to ACCELERATE their ACCESS to RESOURCES GROWTH and SUCCESS. This platform includes networking, mentoring, retooling, training, leadership development, supplier diversity, and acculturation opportunities. We aim to resolve issues of upward mobility, by increasing social capital, workforce development, economic development, leadership development, and civil engagement.
About Charlotte Motor Speedway
For more than 60 years, Charlotte Motor Speedway has set the standard in motorsports entertainment for fans of all ages. Known as America’s Home for Racing, Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only race vacation destination where fans can immerse themselves in the heart of NASCAR country. Visitors can attend one-of-a-kind race spectacles including the Coca-Cola 600 and Bank of America ROVAL™ 400; take behind-the-scenes speedway and race shop tours; explore the NASCAR Hall of Fame and drive an 800-horsepower stock car. Through every event and every decade, Charlotte Motor Speedway puts FANS FIRST with a never-ending commitment to enhance the fan experience. That tradition continues with unmatched value through affordable tickets, unparalleled pre-race entertainment and more opportunities for fans to see their favorite drivers. For all the latest news and information, visit http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or download the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.
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