Our mission to serve means we’re committed to our communities. Take a look back at how the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation, BlueCross Community Trust and our TeamBlue employee volunteers made a difference across the state in 2019.
BlueCross Foundation
This investment is helping to improve the lives of 80,000 children across the state by providing 8 million hours of play.
Last year marked a major milestone for the program, as the Whitehaven community in Memphis celebrated the grand opening of the first BlueCross Healthy Place at David Carnes Park. That was followed by the grand opening of the BlueCross Healthy Place at Huntland City Park in September.
There are currently three additional BlueCross Healthy Place projects underway across the state: Kingsport, Henry Horton State Park and Highland Park in Chattanooga. And we’ll announce our 2020 projects soon.
Read more about our BlueCross Healthy Place projects:
- Rooted in history: first BlueCross Healthy Place opens in Memphis
- Foundation breaks ground on an inclusive BlueCross Healthy Place in Huntland
- Fostering connection in a historic Chattanooga community
- BlueCross Healthy Place at Henry Horton State Park turning a dream into reality
The BlueCross Foundation also funds the BlueCross Power of We Scholarship, which provides $10,000 each to three minority students pursuing careers in health care every year. The scholarship exists to help foster a more inclusive health care workforce and address gaps in care many minority populations in Tennessee face.
Meet last year’s scholars:
BlueCross Community Trust
The BlueCross Community Trust provides funding to local charities and civic groups that help our neighbors in a variety of ways. These include:
- Charitable clinics
- Groups that provide prevention, early detection and treatment services
- Youth health and development programs
- Organizations promoting diversity and inclusion
One of the trust’s 2019 grantees was Chattanooga-based Clinica Medicos, which provides care for the city’s uninsured and underinsured Latinx community. The clinic offers several services, including pediatric care, obstetrics and vaccines.
According to Dr. Kelly Arnold, its founder, Clinica Medicos helps underserved populations overcome barriers to care, including language, cost, time, transportation and fear. There are 35 members on staff, and all are bilingual in English and Spanish. Clinica Medicos is open seven days a week, and no appointment is necessary. The clinic is equipped with an on-site pharmacy and lab, as well as ultrasound and X-ray equipment.
“The nine-to-five model of care is a barrier. In underserved communities, weekend care is essential – it doesn’t feel good for the emergency room to be your only option,” Dr. Arnold says.
Clinica Medicos received a grant from the BlueCross Community Trust to assist with its operational expenses.
TeamBlue
BlueCross employees have a lot of heart. And in 2019, TeamBlue volunteers proved it by spending 11,398 hours supporting 234 organizations across the state.
But we didn’t stop there. Employees also donated to causes that mattered to them throughout the year.
We contributed 8,000 meals to food banks across the state and collected 1,307 pairs of pajamas for school children in the Chattanooga area during the holidays. On top of that, employees gave $330,000 in our annual United Way campaign.
Meet some of our TeamBlue volunteers and read about their work:
- William Egner: TeamBlue volunteer builds up Memphis
- BlueCross employees donate 7,998 meals for Tennesseans in need
- Resident expert: Memphian Joseph Jones helps bring BlueCross Healthy Place to life
Continuing to Give Back in 2020
As part of the BlueCross mission to serve, the BlueCross Foundation, BlueCross Community Trust and TeamBlue volunteers will continue supporting our members and neighbors across Tennessee in 2020.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to get stories throughout the year.
Amanda 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.