Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Launches One-of-a-Kind Program with Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, Championing Youth Wellness

PHOENIX, Feb. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The state's largest locally-owned health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), is working with Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) to develop a special patch for girls that focuses on healthy living. The patch – available to all local Girl Scouts, from Daisies to Ambassadors – teaches the girls about several important aspects of wellness, including fitness, community, friendship, career and general health.

The All About Healthy Living patch is a one-of-a-kind collaboration and will be unveiled during GSACPC's World Thinking Day event on Saturday, Feb. 20. This patch program is the most comprehensive of its kind, providing progressive, age-appropriate, hands-on learning opportunities for girls from K to 12. It also incorporates a spectrum of activities focusing on key aspects of wellness with more than 70 local community organizations around the state.

"This joint effort with the Girl Scouts is another way BCBSAZ is reaching Arizona youth about the importance of forming lifelong health and wellness habits. The program has the ability to impact more than 20,000 Girl Scouts from Maricopa County to the Navajo Nation," said Jennifer Kaufman, vice president of marketing at BCBSAZ.

A Girl Scout will receive the All About Healthy Living patch when she participates in World Thinking Day and then must successfully complete an activity in each of the five wellness categories to earn a "rocker" for that category. Once earned, these "rockers" are placed around the outside of the All About Healthy Living patch. The five "rocker" categories are fitness, friends, community, future and health.

"This collaboration is not only good for our community but offers value for all of our Girl Scouts," said Tamara Woodbury, chief executive officer at GSACPC. "The All About Healthy Living patch will help our Girl Scouts discover, connect and take action around the issue of healthy living. It's an engaging model designed to inspire a culture of health and wellness for our girls."

This Girl Scout initiative is one of many community efforts that BCBSAZ supports under its Nourishing Arizona program. Through the Nourishing Arizona program, BCBSAZ educates communities across the state about making better food choices and preventing chronic health conditions. Helping Arizona families build active lifestyles and form lifelong healthy habits remains a significant focus for the not-for-profit company.

For more information on BCBSAZ support for GSACPC's All About Healthy Living program, visit www.girlscoutsaz.org or AzBlue.com.

About Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council
Girl Scouts is the largest organization for girls in the world, with the best leadership experiences and programs available. It began over 100 years ago with one woman, Juliette Gordon "Daisy" Low, who believed in the power of every girl. Today, we continue her vision of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place by helping them discover their inner strength, passions and talents. In Arizona, Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council serves more than 23,000 girls in grades K-12 with the help of more than 10,000 adult volunteers. For more information, visit www.girlscoutsaz.org.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is an Arizona-based health insurance company. The not-for-profit company was founded in 1939 and provides health insurance products, services or networks to 1.4 million individuals. With offices in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tucson and the East Valley, the company employs more than 1,400 Arizonans. Follow BCBSAZ at www.facebook.com/bcbsaz or on Twitter at @bcbsaz.  

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

Related Links

http://www.AzBlue.com