RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Dec. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a time when organizations have cut, downsized and canceled community events, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) has remained true to their mission and ramped up participation and volunteer work, totaling involvement at more than 450 community events and activities in 2020.
"We needed to get really creative and pivot our usual activities to address what is needed by members and our community during this pandemic," said Marci Coffey, IEHP director of community partnerships. "As a result—thanks to our partnerships, the humble hearts of team members, and lots of COVID-19 precautions—we were able to stay meaningfully engaged with our community at a time when they needed us most."
In support of this effort, 117 IEHP team members volunteered their time through "Helping Hearts," the health plan's employee community volunteer program.
"I believe in supporting my community through volunteerism," said Michelle Crandall, IEHP clinical systems administrator. "The Helping Hearts Program is very flexible, has a variety of volunteer opportunities, and makes it easy for team members to get involved and participate."
Through this program, team members undergo an outreach certification process and can sign up to volunteer at various events supported by the health plan's outreach and community partnership teams.
"IEHP's Helping Hearts Program gives me the opportunity to help my community improve their health and well-being and strengthens my commitment to support IEHP members and our community partners in such a personal way," added Crandall.
Events include socially-distanced parades at Inland Empire skilled nursing facilities, drive-thru literacy book giveaways, Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Stops, drive-in movies, backpack distributions, healthcare heroes appreciation cheerleading at various hospitals, drive-thru food distributions, staffing local food banks, food deliveries to Senior Living Apartments, delivering 1,400 handmade cards to skilled nursing facilities, and donating more than 2 million PPE units to health agencies in the region.
"IEHP team members are truly the heart of the organization," said Jarrod McNaughton, IEHP chief executive officer. "The genuine love we have for our members, providers and community is seen in the work done every single day. Whether it's volunteering at a community event or finding innovative ways to support our members or providers, IEHP team members will stop at nothing to ensure our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health."
About IEHP
IEHP, Inland Empire Health Plan, is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans and the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid plan in the country. With a network of more than 6,400 Providers and more than 2,000 employees, IEHP serves more than 1.3 million residents in Riverside and San Bernardino counties who are enrolled in Medicaid or Cal MediConnect Plan (Medicare-Medicaid Plan). Through a dynamic partnership with Providers and Community, award-winning service and innovative products, IEHP is fully committed to advocating for our Members and providing them with quality, accessible and wellness-based health care services. For more information, visit iehp.org.
SOURCE Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)
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