Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Associates in Wisconsin Volunteer to Help Local Organizations During Third Annual Community Service Day

MILWAUKEE, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 150 Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield associates and their friends and families joined forces to participate in the parent company's national Community Service Day on Saturday, April 24. These efforts helped more than a dozen organizations across the state.

"At Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield we work hard everyday to improve the health of our communities," said Larry Schreiber, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin. "Community Service Day is another way we live this mission. For the past three years, we have worked with community organizations to collaborate on projects and services that positively impact each of our communities and we are proud to continue that effort again this year."

Coinciding with Points of Light and HandsOn Network's National Volunteer Week, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's Community Service Day benefitted charities, organizations and events including:

• March of Dimes' March for Babies – Eau Claire, Wis.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters – Fond du Lac, Wis.

• Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity ReStore – Green Bay, Wis.

• Myrick Hixon EcoPark – La Crosse, Wis.

• Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Wisconsin – Madison, Wis.

• Community Projects for Seniors – Milwaukee, Wis.

• The Park People – Milwaukee, Wis.

• Ronald McDonald House – Milwaukee, Wis.

• Platteville Food Pantry – Platteville, Wis.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's community involvement extends well beyond a one day service project. In 2009, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation granted more than

$140,000 to community organizations in Wisconsin, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield gifted more than $100,000 to civic and charitable organizations through its community relations support. In addition, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield associates, backed by a 50 percent match from the parent company's foundation, pledged more than $216,000 to help non profit organizations throughout the state in 2009.

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name used by Blue Cross Blue

Shield of Wisconsin ("BCBSWi") and Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation ("Compcare"), independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. ®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. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin is available at www.anthem.com.

About the 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 address and provide innovative solutions to reduce the number of uninsured as well as organizations and nonprofit charities that promote the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets specific disease states and medical conditions. These include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company's annual associate giving campaign and its parent foundation provides a 50 percent match of associates' campaign pledges.

®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. To learn more about the Foundation please visit www.wellpointfoundation.org.

SOURCE Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin