BCBSNC Foundation Announces Fall 2008 Grants

BCBSNC Foundation Announces Fall 2008 Grant Recipients

Chapel Hill, N.C. – The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation (BCBSNC Foundation) today announced more than $420,000 in grants to 13 organizations across the state. The grants support BCBSNC Foundation’s ongoing efforts to improve the health of North Carolina’s vulnerable populations and promote physical activity and healthy eating.

“Investing in innovative and effective programs across our state will help further our mission of improving the health and well-being of our fellow North Carolinians,” said Kathy Higgins, president of the BCBSNC Foundation. “We feel it is our responsibility to support organizations and communities that are committed to making North Carolina a healthier place to call home.”

Fall 2008 Grants include:

• $69,000 to Reading Connections of Greensboro to improve the health of individuals with low literacy levels statewide by providing practical tools for health literacy interventions.

• $65,500 to Area Wide Health Committee in Tillery to improve the health of 300 low-income, uninsured patients with diabetes and hypertension in Halifax, Northampton, Nash and Edgecombe counties through expanded health education, clinic and telemedicine services.

• $64,261 to the Martin County Board of Education to improve the BMI (body mass index) and health habits of seventh graders through a 16-week wellness program that aligns with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

• $54,221 to Moore County Communities in Schools to support the development of school gardens designed to provide opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy food.

• $50,000 to the American Diabetes Association to support statewide teacher trainings to bring the state’s public school system in compliance with the "Care of Children Diabetes Act." This project is a continuation of a 2003 BCBSNC Foundation grant that created the original curriculum.

• $42,356 to WakeMed to utilize GIS (geographic information system) mapping technology to study access to affordable healthy food and physical activity in Wake County. The project will also engage Wake County teen groups to assess the physical activity and food environments in their own communities.

• $29,958 to the Town of Plymouth to conduct an assessment of the town’s physical activity opportunities and create a comprehensive system-wide parks and recreation plan.

• $28,000 to El Futuro in Carrboro to develop a uniform information technology system, including electronic medical records, to increase the productivity and self-sufficiency of clinics serving low-income, uninsured Latinos in 13 counties.

In addition to program-based grants, five equipment-only grants were announced, as part of its Healthy Active Communities focus area. These grants are designed to provide necessary tools and equipment to keep individuals engaged in a variety of activities, and to help increase levels of physical activity.

Equipment-only Grants include:
• $5,000 to Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church in Franklin County
• $5,000 to Northwest Elementary School in Pitt County
• $5,000 to Trips for Kids Triangle in Durham County
• $3,819 to Table Ministries in Orange County
• $2,487 to Information Technology High School in Robeson County