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How Our TeamBlue Volunteers Gave Back in 2022

Each year, our TeamBlue employee volunteers donate thousands of hours to the causes and organizations that matter to them.

In 2022, a total of 1,018 employees spent more than 7,000 hours giving back to their communities statewide , supporting more than 200 organizations, including everything from local food banks to the Salvation Army.

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are continuing to offer both virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities so our employees can participate no matter where they work.

“Our TeamBlue volunteers are passionate about their communities, and it’s been great seeing how they continue to give back, both in person and from home,” says Rebecca Sosebee, program management coordinator on the BlueCross community relations team.

Claire Brulatour, her counterpart in Memphis, adds, “It’s been wonderful to maintain some of our longstanding partnerships with in-person volunteering, but also to provide virtual opportunities, like sending greeting cards, that have been very popular with our employees.”

In 2022, 780 BlueCross employees sent cards to organizations statewide , including Spreading Sunshine, the Greater Nashville Regional Council, Make-A-Wish of Middle Tennessee and Youth Villages.

Here are a few other ways TeamBlue volunteers donated their time across the state:


Chattanooga

Our teambuilder opportunities allow teams to get away from their computers for a few hours and give back. Several teams participated in these activities throughout 2022, including our legal division, who spent time at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. Over 5 days, 54 employees participated in the organization’s Giving Before Thanksgiving initiative, donating 168 hours of their time to prepare food donations for their neighbors.


Tri-Cities

In the Tri-Cities, 12 of our Medical Home Partnership employees participated in a teambuilding activity at Second Harvest Food Bank. They spent the day sorting and preparing food donations for distribution to residents in need, contributing a total of 24 volunteer hours.


Knoxville

This year, our community relations team launched a new, bi-monthly partnership with the Wesley House in Knoxville, an organization that provides high-quality, affordable and accessible childcare and social connections for residents of the 37921 zip code. Our TeamBlue volunteers helped with tasks in the food pantry and assisted with childcare.


Nashville

In Nashville, 18 employees spent time volunteering at their local food bank, Second Harvest. They helped with hurricane relief efforts for Florida residents by packing 840 food boxes filled with canned goods, non-perishable entrees, peanut butter and tuna. They also packed 938 backpacks with food and snacks to be distributed to students at schools throughout the Nashville area.


Jackson

During Q4, employees participated in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program, adopting angels and purchasing gifts and clothing for families in need. Our Jackson TeamBlue volunteers assisted their local Salvation Army chapter with gift distribution ahead of the holiday.


Memphis

Our TeamBlue volunteers have been long-time supporters of the Ronald McDonald House in Memphis. This year, employees spent time serving dinner to patients as part of the organization’s family meal program, which allows families to enjoy a home-cooked meal while loved ones are undergoing medical treatment. Our team was the first to return to in-person meal service since the pandemic began.


Looking Ahead

This year also saw the launch of our skills-based volunteering initiative, which allows employees to use the skills they implement as part of their jobs to give back to area organizations. Employees in our corporate communications team wrote professional bios for the leadership staff at the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. And our safety and security team helped update security practices for Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, a local attraction in Chattanooga.

“We’ve seen great success with our skills-based volunteering, and it’s made a real impact for some of our partner organizations this year. We’re looking forward to expanding it in 2023,” says Angela Wiggins, manager of the BlueCross community relations team.

We also found new ways to recognize our dedicated volunteers, including our quarterly TeamBlue Gives initiative. Through this program, any employee who volunteers at least 5 hours during the quarter is entered into a drawing. Our community relations team selects two winners, who receive a $500 donation to an organization of their choice.

Our TeamBlue Volunteer of the Year recognizes an employee who has tracked at least 20 hours of volunteer time between Jan. 1 and Dec. 1. One winner is randomly selected at the end of the year and receives a $5,000 donation to an organization of their choice.

We’ll be announcing our 2022 Volunteer of the Year in January.

There was a lot to celebrate about our TeamBlue volunteers in 2022, and we look forward to the ways they’ll continue to make a difference for their neighbors across Tennessee in the coming year.

About Amanda Haskew, Senior Communications Specialist

A photo of the authorAmanda joined the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee corporate communications team in 2017. Born and raised in Chattanooga, she has a decade of experience in writing for print and the web, as well as digital marketing.

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