Anthem Blue Cross And Its Foundation Contribute $3,624,090 In 2010

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Dec. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- To address ongoing health disparities and hardships encountered by millions of American families, the associates of Anthem Blue Cross, and its corporate foundation, proudly continued the company's tradition of caring for the people it serves and the health of our communities by contributing $3,624,090 to philanthropic and civic organizations throughout California in 2010.

Anthem's community efforts for 2010 were highlighted by a $655,900 contribution from its own California based employees that supported hundreds of community-based non-profit organizations throughout California. Through its annual Associate Giving Campaign, Anthem employees directed their giving to their choice among numerous health-related 501(c)(3) organizations. The funds pledged received a 50 percent match from the parent company's Foundation, increasing the total donation to $983,850.  

"Our associates work hard every day to provide health care benefits to more than 8 million people throughout the state," said Pam Kehaly, president, Anthem Blue Cross. "These same associates are also very committed to the communities where they live and work, particularly during these challenging economic times. I couldn't be more proud of their efforts to help make a difference for people in need."

In addition to the Associate Giving Campaign, the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation funded  $2,184,106 in grants to organizations in California in 2010, including:

Albert Schweitzer Fellowship

American Diabetes Association

Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo

Boys & Girls Clubs

California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports

Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Health Care Without Harm

LA Lakers Youth Foundation

March of Dimes

National Council on Aging

Nurse Family Partnership

Oasis Institute

One-Sight

Providence Speech & Hearing Center

UCLA, School of Medicine

USC, School of Pharmacy

West Valley Family YMCA

Additional grants were awarded to the following national organizations which will directly benefit California:  Foundation for Health Coverage Education, Trustees of Dartmouth College, New England Healthcare Institute, Engleberg Center for Healthcare Reform at Brookings Institute, Center for Medical Technology Policy, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research and the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy.  In addition to the Foundation grants and generosity of Anthem associates, Anthem Blue Cross's community relations commitments totaled $456,134, including support to the following organizations:

AIDS Project LA

AIDS WALK LA

Best Buddies Challenge.

Calexico Unified School District

Coalition for Rural Pueblos

Downtown Women's Center

LA County Commission on Disabilities

LA Sparks (WNBA Basketball Team)

LA Urban League

March of Dimes

UCLA (Fruit & Vegetable Consumption Program)

Women's Conference

Anthem associates have organized volunteer projects and holiday drives benefiting organizations such as FoodShare, Casa Pacifica, Many Mansions, MyStuffBags Foundation, and The Salvation Army.

For more information about the social responsibility of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its parent company, go to http://www.wellpointcorporateresponsibility.com/cr/index.html

About the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation

Through charitable grant making, the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation LLC, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Association promotes Anthem Blue Cross's inherent commitment to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that the company serves. The Foundation focuses its funding on strategic initiatives that address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets specific disease states and medical conditions. These include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation.  The Foundation also coordinates the company's annual associate giving campaign and its parent foundation provides a 50 percent match of associates' campaign pledges.

^® ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross names and symbol are registered marks of the Blue Cross Association.  To learn more about the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation please visit www.wellpointfoundation.org.

SOURCE Anthem Blue Cross