$50,000 donation will aid Red Cross recovery efforts
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation has donated $50,000 to the local chapter of the American Red Cross to help Chattanooga-area residents recover from a tornado that swept through the region late Sunday night.
“We are saddened by this loss and devastation in the midst of already trying times,” said Roy Vaughn, executive director of the BlueCross Foundation. “Our thoughts go out to all those who were affected by this storm, and we offer this support as our community begins to rebuild together.”
According to the National Weather Service, the storm was an EF-3 tornado with winds of 145 miles per hour. It left a trail of destruction in the East Brainerd area roughly a half-mile wide and four miles long. Nearly 60,000 EPB customers were without power. By Monday, there were nine fatalities reported across southeast Tennessee and north Georgia.
BlueCross headquarters in downtown Chattanooga did not sustain any damage. Some employees’ homes and property were damaged, but no injuries have been reported. The company remains fully operational to support its members and providers.
About BlueCross®
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is a taxpaying, not-for-profit health plan serving more than 3.5 million members in Tennessee and around the country. The Chattanooga-based company was founded in 1945 and is celebrating its 75th anniversary of bringing peace of mind to its members and local communities. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Inc. is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association. For more information, visit the company’s news center at bcbstnews.com.
About BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation, Inc.
The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. was established in December 2003 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation organized to promote the philanthropic mission of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. The foundation provides funding for the BlueCross Healthy Place program, which creates active, healthy spaces across Tennessee.