Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts will grant $500,000 to five nonprofits as part of its Health Living Accelerator Grants initiative, the health plan announced last week on National Rural Health Day.
The grants will help the nonprofits address social determinants of health (SDOH), including healthy eating, active lifestyles and positive environments, to influence behavior change and advance the health of Massachusetts residents. Funding could help scale the programs to improve access to nutritious meals and fitness opportunities.
“Blue Cross is committed to supporting the health of all Massachusetts residents,” said Jeff Bellows, vice president of corporate citizenship and public affairs. “By giving these organizations the ability to launch and scale their programs and giving them the needed support to execute them, we can help improve access to health eating, active lifestyles and healthy environments for thousands of children and families across the state.”
The five nonprofits are:
Blue Cross will also provide skill-building and pro-bono support to help the organizations be successful with their initiatives.
“The goal of the Health Living Accelerator Grants is to support innovative ideas that address the barriers which prevent access to healthy lifestyles and environments,” Bellows said.
The announcement further backs Blue Cross Blue Shield’s focus on population health and addressing SDOH.
Initiatives like FoodQ and RideQ provide meals and transportation to nutrition and transportation deserts. And other pilots from Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey aim to improve access to behavioral healthcare for patients in populations who have difficulty reaching these services.
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