[February 12, 2020]

ADDING MULTIMEDIA Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Activates $3.6 Million Across Ohio in 2019

Last year, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Anthem) and its philanthropic arm, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, announced more than $3.6 million in new or continued efforts to address critical health issues facing Ohio, including food and housing insecurity, behavioral health access, the opioid crisis, and infant mortality. Anthem's collaborations with local nonprofits also supported other health initiatives such as cancer prevention, heart health, children's physical activity, and addressing social determinants of health.

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(Graphic: Business Wire)

"We are deeply invested in Ohio and we remain committed to partnership with local nonprofits, municipalities and state organizations in every corner of Ohio as the most effective approach to tackling our most pressing health concerns," said Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio President Steve Martenet. "We've served Ohio for 81 years and with more than 4,000 Anthem associates calling ourselves Buckeyes, our community commitment will only grow."

Anthem associates gave 8,200 volunteer hours and donated $500,000 through associate giving programs, including a unique volunteer hour matching program through which Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation offers a $10 donation for every hour volunteered by an Anthem associate.

Highlights of Anthem's and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation's 2019 efforts to promote health and wellness in Ohio included support of the following causes:

• Housing Insecurity: Through a series of grants totaling $285,000, Anthem and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation supported projects at Star House, Community Shelter Board, Homeless Families Foundation, and City of Columbus' CelebrateOne initiative, each addressing different but related aspects of housing insecurity in Greater Columbus. With a separate $75,000 contribution from Anthem, the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohi (COHHIO) developed the Landlord Risk Mitigation Fund to help recruit more landlords to participate in rapid rehousing and supportive housing programs throughout rural Ohio. Other housing insecurity grants focused on west central, southeast and southern Ohio.

• Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Anthem and its Foundation awarded funds totaling $214,000 to The National Alliance on Mental Illness Ohio (NAMI) and Hopewell Health Centers, working in conjunction with the Adam-Amanda Mental Health Rehabilitation Center in Athens, Ohio to address access to treatment and housing issues for patients transitioning from inpatient behavioral health settings. The funds represented one of largest such financial commitments southeast Ohio has ever received.

• Food Insecurity: Through a $100,000 grant, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation launched the Food is Medicine program in partnership with southwest Ohio's Freestore Foodbank and UC Health to conduct food insecurity screenings and interventions. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation provided funding for the Cleveland Food Trust's Heart Smarts program as part of a $350,000 national grant in which healthy food education was conducted at neighborhood stores throughout Greater Cleveland.

• Youth-Focused Social Determinants of Health: Anthem partnered with Toledo Public Schools on a $100,000 series of grants addressing leadership and social networking skills, housing insecurity, education preparedness, and healthy nutrition. Anthem and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation also awarded grants throughout the state supporting Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Cleveland YMCA, Dayton Dragons' Home Run 4 Life, Secret Smiles of Dayton, and many more.

• Healthy Moms and Babies: Anthem and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation awarded significant grants to the Central Ohio YMCA, March of Dimes, and Compass Point Housing in Portsmouth to address issues related to pre-term births and infant mortality, and housing security for pregnant women and moms,

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation

Through charitable grant making, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation LLC, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, promotes Anthem's inherent commitment to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield serves. The Foundation focuses its funding on strategic initiatives that make up its Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets: maternal health, diabetes prevention, cancer prevention, heart health and healthy, active lifestyles, behavioral health efforts and programs that benefit people with disabilities. The Foundation also coordinates the company's year-round Dollars for Dollars program which provides a 100 percent match of associates' donations, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. ®ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200212005638/en/

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