BCBSTX Launches 2013 Healthy Kids Healthy Families Initiative

More than $1.5 million funding provided in 2012

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Apr 03, 2013, 11:00 ET

RICHARDSON, Texas, April 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Against a backdrop of rising childhood obesity and other medical concerns, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) today launched the opening of its 2013 Healthy Kids Healthy Families initiative, which provides funding to non-profit organizations throughout Texas. In 2012, the program was able to fund grants for 35 organizations impacting local communities in four key areas: nutrition education, physical activity, disease prevention and management and supporting safe environments.

Non-profit organizations may apply for the grants through May 15 by visiting http://www.bcbstx.com/company_info/community/hkhf.html.

"The goal of the Healthy Kids, Healthy Families initiative is to find, fund and foster innovative local ideas that can measurably improve the health of Texas' most vulnerable children," said Michelle Riddell, vice president of community investment BCBSTX, "Thanks to the creativity and determination of our many community partners, we are making solid progress but have much more to do."

The Healthy Kids Healthy Families initiative is one feature of the company's new Social Responsibility Report, which can be found online at www.bcbstx2012srr.com. The company's report highlights progress across other components of its social responsibility goals, including such areas as diversity and inclusion, sustainability, ethics and compliance.

The 2012 report was produced digitally, reducing environmental impact and enabling a more interactive summary of community partnerships through videos and social media integration. Readers can instantly share and comment on a specific page of the report through Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter or email the entire report to friends and colleagues.

Examples of BCBSTX's community collaborations that are profiled in the Social Responsibility Report include:

$4.6 million in grants and sponsorships (including $1.5 million of Healthy Kids Healthy Families grants) awarded to more than 350 Texas organizations
2012 Employee Volunteer of the Year logged more than 233 volunteer hours in the Blue Corps volunteer program
Employees volunteered more than 13,130 personal hours supporting 144 local organizations
79, 848 immunizations were provided to children at risk through the Care Van program

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas -- the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas – is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 40,000 physicians and 400 hospitals to serve 4.8 million members in all 254 counties. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Oklahoma and New Mexico), the country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall. Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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