Health Plans Give Back to Communities

Ohio’s health insurance companies not only provide health care benefits for more than 7 million Ohioans, they also are generous contributors to projects in their local communities. These contributions are especially meaningful to their fellow Ohioans during the holiday season.

“Ohio’s health insurers are concerned about the health and wellness of those they insure and also with the health and vitality of their communities,” said Kelly McGivern, President and CEO of the Ohio Association of Health Plans. “In addition to supporting a variety of beneficial community projects throughout the year, Ohio’s health plans and their employees continue their charitable giving and service during the holiday season.”

“During these tough economic times, when more and more Ohioans are struggling just to provide the basic necessities, we appreciate the efforts that Ohio’s health plan employees have made to provide food, clothing and other essential items to their fellow Ohioans,” said Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, Executive Director of the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks.

Some of the programs and projects that the Ohio Association of Health Plans’ member companies are supporting this holiday season include:

  • Aetna’s Columbus-area employees collected food items and monetary donations for  the local food bank with an emphasis on Thanksgiving.
  • In lieu of company-wide holiday celebrations, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is making a donation to Feeding America on behalf of all of its associates. Anthem’s donation, along with all other plans through its parent company, Wellpoint, will help provide more than two million meals to those in need in local communities throughout several states including Ohio. Additionally, Anthem’s parent company is making a donation to the USO to provide care packages and other support services to military personnel being deployed. Anthem associates will also participate in various holiday activities throughout its Ohio locations, supporting organizations that include Adopt-a-Family, food and/or clothing drives, Toys for Tots, Adopt-a-Charity, and donations to the homeless.
  • AMERIGROUP Community Care employees donated boxes of food and gently used clothing to Matthew 25 Ministries during the month of November. Additionally, employees are participating in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree to provide toys and clothing for families in need.
  • AultCare employees raised funds for 15 children in the BackPack program which sends food home for needy families in children’s backpacks.
  • AultCare is also working in conjunction with Aultman Hospital’s blood bank to raise blood donations and food for the needy. A $10.00 donation to Stark County Hunger Task Force will be made for every blood donation AultCare employees make through the end of November.
  • CareSource employees are undertaking a “Save the Foodbanks” campaign from Dec. 7-11, with the goal of collecting over 10,000 lbs. of food for the Cleveland Foodbank, Mid-Ohio Foodbank (Columbus), and The Foodbank (Dayton) with an emphasis on healthy foods.
  • The Health Plan was a food collection site for the Boy Scouts’ “Scouting for Food” project. In addition, the Health Plan sent 100 filled stockings to U.S. troops overseas and is collecting items for needy families to support the Belmont County Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Project.
  • MediGold employees are participating in Mt. Carmel’s Angel Tree Project which benefits needy families on the east side of Columbus.
  • Molina Healthcare of Ohio, Inc. employees are holding a pajama drive – collecting new pajamas, stuffed animals and children’s books to donate to shelters for victims of domestic violence. In addition, Molina is making monetary donations to the following groups: Life Enrichment Center (Dayton); Reach Out of Montgomery County (Dayton); The Homeless Families Foundation (Columbus); Jackson Area Ministries (Jackson); Miami Valley Youth Career Center (Dayton); Helping Young Mothers Mentor (Cincinnati).
  • Paramount annually adopts between 4-6 low-income families who are enrolled in our Paramount Advantage plan. At Christmas, each family is given toys, clothing and food for the holiday. Paramount also adopts a nursing home and at Christmas donates socks, lotions, playing cards and games for the residents’ use. Additionally, Paramount Advantage provides funds and volunteers to the following sponsorships: Thanksgiving Families-Meijer dinners – one Allen County and one Lucas County family; Innkeepers Annual Thanksgiving Dinner (Defiance County); Cheryl Allen Breakfast with Santa (Allen County); Toledo Day Nursery Christmas Party.
  • Unison Health Plans of Ohio’s employees are collecting new socks for the Hannah’s Socks project in Toledo and providing turkeys for the Salvation Army in Athens.
  • UnitedHealthcare of Ohio and Unison Health Plan employees are participating in a United Day of Service on December 9, collecting food and helping out at the Mid Ohio Food Bank, and emphasizing the importance of childhood obesity prevention

“Ohio’s health plans and their employees recognize that with the rocky economy, lending a helping hand this holiday season is more critical than ever,” added McGivern. “We encourage others to look for ways to help make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.”