Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation Awards Grants To Promote Health Access, Prevention and Disease Management

Chapel Hill, N.C. - The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation (BCBSNC Foundation) has awarded $169,000 in grants to seven organizations across the state for initiatives that include dental care for the uninsured, basic health care for the homeless, cardiac screenings for women, health outreach to senior citizens and obesity prevention for youth.

"These grants will help provide access to basic health care for vulnerable populations and give consumers information that will help them make the best choices about their own health," said Kathy Higgins, president of the BCBSNC Foundation. "These groups are doing meaningful work to bridge gaps in our health care system, and we're pleased to help them implement their good ideas."

The grants and recipients are:

• $24,000 to the St. Saviour's Center in Raleigh for a community outreach program that will provide basic health screenings and health education to disabled and elderly residents, primarily targeting people living in two Raleigh housing projects served by the center. A part-time nurse and volunteers will assist participants with managing chronic conditions; provide information on nutrition, exercise and weight management; and offer additional services and support.
• $25,000 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to use video technology to provide beginning Spanish classes to health care professionals at 15 locations across the state. UNC-Chapel Hill already provides a similar distance learning opportunity in intermediate Spanish for health professionals as part of its ¡A Su Salud! (To Your Health) project.
• $25,000 to Central Carolina Community College, which is working with Lee County Public Health to create the Central Carolina Dental Center. The center will provide basic dental care for the uninsured and train dental hygienists and dental assistants.
• $25,000 to the Agape Health Clinic of the Metropolitan Community Health Services, Inc. in Washington, N.C., to provide personalized care plans to diabetes patients to help them better manage their condition. The plans will include appropriate medication use, diet, exercise, cardiovascular assessments and nutritional planning consistent with a limited personal budget.
• $25,000 to the Hospitality House in Boone to provide urgent care to homeless people in the region, including a weekly clinic. The clinic, staffed by a volunteer physician's assistant, is expected to serve 250 people in its first year of operation.
• $20,000 to the YWCA of Winston-Salem to offer a youth wellness program that specifically targets juvenile obesity. The program centers on education of good nutritional habits, introduction of an array of physical activity and family involvement in establishing healthier lifestyles.
• $25,000 to the Park Ridge Hospital Foundation for its Straight to the Heart program, which will provide free health screenings and education sessions to women in Henderson and Buncombe counties. Over the next three years, more than 6,000 women will be screened for heart disease and stroke, the leading cause of death among women in Henderson and Buncombe counties.