Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Commits more than $1 Million to Advance Active Living

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

Dec 10, 2013, 10:00 ET

Funding and technical assistance from the Center for Prevention will help nine organizations improve the health and livability of communities by increasing access and reducing barriers to physical activity.

EAGAN, Minn., Dec. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Safe and convenient places to be active make communities more vibrant, healthy and strong. To support the work of community organizations in creating safe places for physical activity in Minnesota, the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) is committing more than $1 million in Active Living for All funding. This funding will assist communities as they engage residents and improve places with more walking and biking for everyone, young and old.

The nine organizations that have been awarded Active Living for All funding and technical assistance include:

City of Minneapolis to support preliminary planning and neighborhood engagement to design a greenway through north Minneapolis.

St. Paul Smart Trips and Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center Frogtown Initiative to implement a youth-led outreach program to engage local residents to identify opportunities to make it safer to walk and bike in Frogtown.

Live Healthy Red Wing to strengthen city transportation policies and educate residents to make active transportation and connectivity for bikers and pedestrians an integral part of Red Wing.

City of St. Louis Park to generate resident input, advocacy, and action to advance Health in the Park.

Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition to support Bikeways for Everyone, a collaborative campaign to create a network of bikeways that are safe and attractive for one and all.

Sawtooth Mountain Clinic in Grand Marais to identify short term and long term opportunities that make it safe and pleasant for community members in Cook County to bike and walk.

District Council Collaborative of St. Paul and Minneapolis to support demonstration projects that incorporate design components to encourage walking near two stops along the Central Corridor.

St. Paul Smart Trips Women on Bikes Initiative to make it safe and easy to bicycle in St. Paul through a women-led coalition that works on advocacy, education, and connection.

Get Fit Itasca, Itasca County to develop, maintain, and promote active transportation infrastructure that will better connect the Itasca Community College with surrounding communities.

"Where we live or work is one of the most important factors in determining whether we are healthy or not," said Janelle Waldock, director of the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross. "This funding supports community organizations in the vital role they play to improve public spaces and allow all Minnesotans to maintain their health and quality of life."

Active Living for All funding recipients were selected through a competitive review process which included an initial application, followed by a formal RFP and site visits. Funding will be awarded over the next two to three years depending on the scope of each initiative. Information on these programs and their accomplishments will be updated periodically on preventionminnesota.com.

About the Center for Prevention
The Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota delivers on Blue Cross' long-term commitment to improve the health of all Minnesotans by tackling the leading root causes of preventable disease: tobacco use, lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating. Funded through proceeds from Blue Cross' historic lawsuit against the tobacco industry, we collaborate with organizations statewide to increase health equity, transform communities and create a healthier state. Visit preventionminnesota.com for more information.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (bluecrossmn.com), with headquarters in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan and continues to carry out its charter mission today as a health company: to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. Blue Cross is a not-for-profit, taxable organization. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago.