BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION AWARDS MORE THAN $3.4M TO 21 NONPROFITS

MINNEAPOLIS, June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation has awarded more than $3.4M in grants to 21 nonprofit organizations in Minnesota. Grant awards are for one or two years and range from $25,000 to $100,000 per year.

Sixteen grants are part of the Healthy Start program, which supports efforts to improve access to quality early childhood care and education throughout the state. This effort has been a focus of the Blue Cross Foundation for more than 20 years, due to the well-known connection between education and health.

"Research shows that quality early childhood care and education results in better health from childhood to the adult years," said Bukata Hayes, chair of the Blue Cross Foundation board and vice president of racial and health equity at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. "Increasing access to early childhood care and education also means that families across the state – particularly families of color, Indigenous families and those with low incomes – receive critical support. These efforts all contribute to ongoing progress toward racial and health equity."

"These grants address a critical need," added Carolyn Link, president of the Foundation. "We are proud to partner with our grantees in prioritizing early care and education in the communities we serve – efforts that will benefit all Minnesota children and the broader health system."

The following organizations were selected to receive Healthy Start grants:

African Economic Development Solutions, St. Paul

All Nations Rise, Ogema

Children's Defense Fund – MN, St. Paul

Fond du Lac Tribal College, Cloquet

La Red Latina de Educacion Temprana, Richfield

Lakes & Prairies CAP, Moorhead

MN Zej Zog, New Hope

Northfield Healthy Community Initiative, Northfield

Northland Foundation, Duluth

Northside Achievement Zone, Minneapolis

Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Bemidji

SPARK, St. Paul

United Community Action Partnership, Willmar

Voices for Racial Justice, Minneapolis

Wildflower Foundation, Minneapolis

YWCA, Minneapolis

Three organizations were also awarded grants as part of the Foundation's Access to Coverage program, focused on increasing health care coverage across Minnesota:

Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance, Minneapolis

Northwest Indian CDC, Bemidji

United Community Action Partnership, Willmar

In addition, two nonprofits were awarded grants to help strengthen and build nonprofit capacity:

Nexus Community Partners, St. Paul

Voices for Racial Justice, Minneapolis

Read more about the grants here.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation makes a healthy difference in communities by advancing health equity and improving conditions where people live, learn, work and play, awarding more than $75 million to over 600 nonprofits since it was established in 1986. For more information on Blue Cross' grantmaking programs, visit bluecrossmnfoundation.org.

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation