Grants, sponsorships and employee volunteers reached 2.4 million in need

 

View our 2021 Community Partnerships Report

(Baton Rouge, LA) – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana has released its annual Community Partnerships Report, detailing the impact the company, employees and Blue Cross Foundation made in support of nonprofits and volunteer service .

Among the work highlighted in 2021:

  • 30,000+ employee-reported volunteer hours, including “hammer-swinging” services (like volunteering at meal kitchens, disaster clean-up and student mentoring), as well as pro-bono professional services assistance to Louisiana nonprofits (business strategy, marketing, IT, HR and more) through the company’s Taproot Plus platform
  • $980,000 in charitable financial gifts by Blue Cross employees, as well as $1 million in goods donated, such as food, school uniforms, school supplies and disaster kits
  • $8.4 million in grants made by the Blue Cross Foundation in support of public health initiatives and disaster relief in the wake of devastating hurricanes and COVID-19 impacts
  • More than 51,000 health screenings, including mammograms, metabolic screenings, dental screenings, health risk assessments and mental/behavioral health screenings

“Overall, 2021 was a tough year for Louisiana, its nonprofit sector and the people they serve. While some things returned to normal, multiple COVID-19 waves and natural disasters like February’s ice storm, Hurricane Ida and floods deepened worrying trends. However, the silver lining is how everyday people continued to show up for their friends and neighbors,” said Michael Tipton, head of community relations and president of the Blue Cross Foundation.

“While resiliency is a commonality across Louisiana, we are mindful of the data showing that recovery is not. After the past two years, we know that services are not always available to you based on your skin color, your ZIP code and your income. We’re continuing to invest in long-term, equitable solutions through community-led organizations with the talent and connections to make sure we all recover together, bringing communities back stronger,” he added.

In 2021, Blue Cross was chosen for the third straight year as a member of The Civic 50 by the Points of Light Foundation. This is a list of the 50 most community-minded companies in America. Blue Cross was one of only two Louisiana companies earning a spot on the list,ranking among significantly larger brands with national footprints. From among all of the honorees, Blue Cross was selected as 2021’s Volunteer Champion for its employees’ commitment to service.

The full report is available online at www.bcbslafoundation.org/2021report

 

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

Founded in New Orleans in 1934, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is a tax-paying nonprofit health insurer. We are a private mutual company, owned by our policyholders, with an independent Louisiana Board of Directors and no shareholders. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, we have eight regional offices to serve our customers around the state. We invite all Louisianans to visit our website at www.bcbsla.com or talk to us on social media.

About the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation works each day to improve the health and lives of Louisianians by empowering everyday people to do extraordinary good. By building and funding coalitions of friends, families and neighbors, the Foundation hopes to build a healthier Louisiana, particularly for its children. The foundation is funded solely by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, but is a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity. Since 2020, Blue Cross and the Blue Cross Foundation invested more than $20 million in Louisiana’s communities and nonprofits with programs and services reaching 6.4 million Louisianians.

# # #