Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Partners with Feeding America® and its Network of 200 Food Banks to Drive Education of COVID-19 Vaccination

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Mar 18, 2021, 06:00 ET

CHICAGO, March 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and Feeding America® announced a new partnership aimed at increasing equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine by providing trusted clinical information that highlights the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination. Through this partnership, BCBSA and Feeding America will lean into a network of 200 food banks—that reach more than 40 million people across the United States—to share clinical information and educational materials highlighting the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.

As part of the partnership, BCBSA will provide Feeding America and food banks nationally with English and Spanish educational materials, such as social media posts, posters and question-and-answer documents that draw on information from trusted sources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and BCBSA clinical experts. The goal is to help dispel common myths about the vaccine that may prevent people from getting it. Local food banks will be able to leverage these materials on their own digital channels and at their brick and mortar food pantry locations.

BCBSA and Feeding America will also partner to create web-based public health modules and additional materials over the next twelve months, covering critical health topics such as COVID-19, vaccinations, and the importance of health equity to help enhance health education within the communities that Feeding America network food banks serve. These modules will build on Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies' commitment to ensure the equitable rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine and further promote vaccinations.

"To stop the pandemic, we must work together to help people get vaccinated and support our communities – especially those that are most vulnerable," said Kim Keck, president and CEO of BCBSA. "With its nationwide network of community food banks, Feeding America is a tireless advocate for millions of Americans. We are pleased to work with them to build confidence in vaccines and to start to regain normalcy in our lives."

"Feeding America is uniquely positioned to help identify and address systemic barriers to ending food insecurity in the United States," said Casey Marsh, Chief Development Officer at Feeding America. "Partnerships with organizations like BCBSA help us work with member food banks to invest in underserved communities in many ways, including investments in health equity."

To date, BCBS companies have invested over $7 billion to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The BCBS system continues to accelerate the COVID-19 vaccine effort to save lives and lessen the severity of the disease thanks to its deep community roots and localized approach to serving its members, with a particular focus on helping the most vulnerable and at-risk populations.

To learn more about how Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are combatting the pandemic, visit https://www.bcbs.com/coronavirus-updates/stories

About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 35 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans. BCBSA provides health care insights through The Health of America Report series and the national BCBS Health Index. For more information on BCBSA and its member companies, please visit bcbs.com. We also encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out our blog.

About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield Association