Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Salutes Veterans Year-round
Including $65,000 in Grants & Sponsorships
CHICAGO, Nov. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On this Veterans Day and every day, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) is proud to serve the men and women who served our country. Through hiring initiatives and grant programs, BCBSIL offers veterans new opportunities once they return to civilian life.
BCBSIL has a Veterans Task Force to actively recruit former service members, and this past weekend we lit our Chicago headquarters with the message, "VETS" and a ribbon image.
"Veterans bring special qualities such as experience, dedication, loyalty, and teamwork," says Stephen Ondra, M.D., the Chief Medical Officer for Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) and a veteran of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. "It's our honor and duty to show our respect, appreciation and support to the men and women who protected us and our freedom, by offering them employment opportunities." Dr. Ondra was awarded a Bronze Star Medal and the Army Commendation Medal for his extraordinary service. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is a division of HCSC.
Blue Cross also supports organizations that serve veterans with financial grants. We have awarded $65,000 to the Thresholds Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center which runs the Thresholds Veterans Project. The Thresholds Veterans Project provides housing placement, health and social service support for veterans at their most vulnerable. Our funding, which includes grant and sponsorship money, supports both direct services, as well as the group's annual fundraiser, the Limelight Gala.
"The Thresholds Veterans Project relies on the support of our generous supporters and funders," says Mark Ishaug, Thresholds CEO. "Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois is leading the way by helping us to provide peer-supported, trauma-informed services to those who have bravely served our country. Their grant support is transforming the lives of hundreds of veterans struggling with PTSD, homelessness, and other challenges."
In total, Blue Cross is supporting 71 community organizations through financial grants as part of our 78 year legacy of serving the people of Illinois.
About Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL)
With 7.9 million members, BCBSIL, a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, is the largest health insurance company in Illinois. Begun in 1936 in Chicago, BCBSIL remains member owned rather than publicly traded, and is committed to promoting the health and wellness of its members and its communities, fostering greater access to care, and working to lower the overall cost of care while improving the health care quality and patient outcomes. For more information, visit www.BCBSIL.com, visit our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.
SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
Share this article