Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Arizona Expands "All About Healthy Living" Patch Program To Girl Scouts Of Southern Arizona

PHOENIX, March 7, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The state's largest locally-owned health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), is expanding it's All About Healthy Living Girl Scout patch program to youth in Southern Arizona. The program, which initially launched one-year ago in partnership with the Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, will now be available statewide. Through this initiative, Girl Scouts – from Daisies to Ambassadors – will learn about several important aspects of wellness, including fitness, community, friendship, career and general health.

The All About Healthy Living patch is a one-of-a-kind collaboration and will be unveiled to the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona (GSSoAz) during their World Thinking Day events in Pinal County on March 10 and Pima County on March 11. This patch program is the most comprehensive of its kind, providing progressive, age-appropriate, hands-on learning opportunities for girls from K to 12. It also incorporates a spectrum of activities focusing on key aspects of wellness with more than 70 local community organizations around the state.

"It's critical that we empower our youth with lifelong health and wellness habits. The All About Health Living program outlines simple and meaningful steps the girls can take today–steps to help them grow into healthier adults. We are proud of our partnership with the Girl Scouts as the program will reach more than 7,500 Girl Scouts statewide," said Jennifer Kaufman, vice president of marketing at BCBSAZ.

A Girl Scout will receive the All About Healthy Living patch when she participates in World Thinking Day and then must successfully complete an activity in each of the five wellness categories to earn a "rocker" for that category. Once earned, these "rockers" are placed around the outside of the All About Healthy Living patch. The five "rocker" categories are fitness, friends, community, future and health.

"Since its founding, Girl Scouts has believed health, nutrition and fitness were essential to the Girl Scout Experience. We are grateful for community partners like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona for supporting our girls and making such a large impact on our community," said Debbie Rich, Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona. "Girl Scouts hike, run, camp, play soccer and basketball and learn how to create healthy meals–preparing them for lifelong healthy living. This badge encompasses all these skills and more."

This Girl Scout initiative is one of many community efforts that BCBSAZ supports under its Nourishing Arizona program. Through the Nourishing Arizona program, BCBSAZ educates communities across the state about making better food choices and preventing chronic health conditions. Helping Arizona families build active lifestyles and form lifelong healthy habits remains a significant focus for the not-for-profit company.

For more information on BCBSAZ support for the Girl Scouts' All About Healthy Living program, visit NourishingArizona.com or girlscoutssoaz.org .

About Girl Scoutsof Southern Arizona
The Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona is dedicated to building girls of courage, character and confidence. As one of 100 local councils in the United States, the Southern Arizona Council is comprised of Girl Scouts from Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz Graham, Greenlee and Yuma counties. In Girl Scouts, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together. Through a myriad of enriching experiences, such as extraordinary field trips, sports skill-building clinics, community service projects, cultural exchanges, and environmental stewardships, girls grow courageous and strong. Girl Scouting helps girls develop their full individual potential; relate to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect; develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound decision-making; and contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities, leadership skills, and cooperation with others. For more information about Girl Scouts, contact the Council at 520-327-2288, visit www.girlscoutssoaz.org.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), an independent licensee of the, is an Arizona-based health insurance company. The not-for-profit company was founded in 1939 and provides health insurance products, services or networks to 1.4 million individuals. With offices in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tucson and the East Valley, the company employs more than 1,400 Arizonans. Follow BCBSAZ at www.facebook.com/bcbsaz or on Twitter at @bcbsaz.  

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona