Blue Cross Announces Its 13th Community Service Sabbatical Fellow

BOSTON, Nov. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' ("Blue Cross") 13th William C. Van Faasen Community Service Sabbatical Fellow, Colleen McLaughlin, starts her six month volunteer assignment with Camp Harbor View.  McLaughlin who is currently a training manager in IT Operations will be working with Camp Harbor View full-time through May 4 to develop an onboarding program, which will include a needs assessment, content development, and process recommendations, for the organization's new employees.

Blue Cross' William C. Van Faasen Community Service Sabbatical Fellowship gives one employee each year the opportunity to work for a nonprofit for four to six months to support a critical business need while receiving their normal salary and benefits. Blue Cross invites their nonprofit partners to apply to be a part of the program and then recruits employees whose skill sets match the criteria of the organization's business need.

"We're thrilled to have Colleen joining us this winter through Blue Cross Blue Shield's sabbatical program," said Elizabeth Donohue, VP of Strategy at Camp Harbor View. "Her work will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Camp Harbor View's operations and training capacity and shape our organization moving forward in tangible ways." 

Camp Harbor View serves over 1,000 youth each year from Boston's underserved neighborhoods, at no cost to the youth or their families, in three major program areas: Summer Camp, Leadership Academy and Youth and Family Support Services. Their model instills the core values of fun, respect, responsibility, character, courage and community and aims to liberate the potential of young campers.

"It's an honor to be selected as this year's fellow and to support Camp Harbor View," said McLaughlin. "I look forward to learning more about their mission, contributing to their onboarding and training program, and bringing the skills that I gain through the experience back to my role at Blue Cross."

The Community Service Sabbatical Program is now in its 13th year and has become a pillar of Blue Cross' employee engagement and community work.

"We take pride in offering meaningful volunteer experiences for our associates that are based on the needs of our community partners," said Lucy Darragh, Director of Civic Engagement and Events at Blue Cross. "Our people are our largest asset and being able to provide critical support to Camp Harbor View while giving Colleen a unique and challenging professional development opportunity is a win-win."

In 2018, nearly 3,200 Blue Cross employees contributed 28,000 volunteer hours to support 275 service projects across the state. The company also donated $8.4M to 429 not-for-profits. For more information on Blue Cross' Sabbatical Program and the company's commitment to healthy living, visit their Corporate Citizenship website and read the 2018 Annual Report. 

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.com) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to the relentless pursuit of quality, affordable health care with an unparalleled consumer experience. Consistent with our promise to always put our members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

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