BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MASSACHUSETTS EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEER TO SUPPORT 57 NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ON 13TH ANNUAL SERVICE DAY

News provided by

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Sep 28, 2023, 08:00 ET

Since Service Day's inception, the total value of the company's financial and volunteer support to local not-for-profits has exceeded $11 million

BOSTON, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, nearly 3,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts ("Blue Cross") employees will be volunteering at service projects to support 57 not-for-profit organizations that reflect Blue Cross' commitment to supporting healthy, equitable and sustainable communities as part of the company's 13th annual Service Day.

Launched in 2011, Service Day is designed to connect employee volunteers to organizations for a day of service projects that reflect the company's commitment to addressing health justice in Massachusetts. This year, 1,500 employees will be volunteering at community partner sites throughout Massachusetts, while 650 will be participating in projects at Blue Cross' Hingham office and another 800 volunteering virtually.

"We're excited to partner with not-for-profits that are doing such meaningful work across Massachusetts," said Sarah Iselin, Blue Cross' president and CEO. "There's no other day of the year that expresses Blue Cross' values quite like Service Day. I'm excited to be joining our associates and volunteering this year."

Many of this year's Service Day projects focus on health justice in communities, including food justice, environmental justice, and racial justice. Blue Cross is partnering with not-for-profits such as Jewish Family Services MetroWest, GreenRoots, and Boys and Girls Club of Boston, as well as Dignity Matters and Cradles to Crayons to support environmental and community initiatives. Blue Cross volunteers who work outside the state remain actively involved in Service Day, taking part in several virtual projects for Annie's Kindness Blankets, Happy Hope Foundation, and Letters Against Isolation, among others.

Since Service Day's inception, the total value of the company's financial and volunteer support to local not-for-profits has exceeded $11 million. Blue Cross also supports each not-for-profit by providing a grant to cover the costs of each project, in addition to sending its employee volunteers. Blue Cross provides a minimum contribution of $2,500 for each not-for-profit Service Day partner.

For more information on Blue Cross' annual Service Day and the company's commitment to health justice, visit its Corporate Citizenship website.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.org) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to the relentless pursuit of quality, affordable and equitable health care with an unparalleled consumer experience. Consistent with our promise to always put our members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

SERVICE DAY 2023 PROJECTS
NOT-FOR-PROFIT PARTNER	LOCATION	DESCRIPTION
Applause Academy	Taunton	Organize costumes and materials for youth community theater program
Balanced Learning Center	Fall River	Renovate expressive arts therapy room and fill backpacks with basic items for unhoused LGBTQUIA youth
Birthday Wishes	Natick	Create birthday celebration kits for unhoused children and youth
Boston Harbor Now	Boston Harbor Islands	Maintain trails and landscape at Peddocks Island
Boston Home	Boston	Facilitate an adaptive arts and recreation day for residents
Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston	Roxbury	Clean and refresh the Yawkey Club
Cape Cod YMCA	Sandwich	Conduct basic repairs at Camp Lyndon site
Carepacks	Weymouth	Pack personal care kits and write letters of encouragement to active military members
Catholic Charities (Sunset Point Camp)	Hull	Perform general upkeep and landscaping of Sunset Point Camp
Waltham Fields Community Farm	Waltham	Maintain and harvest a community garden
Community Servings	Jamaica Plain	Prepare medically tailored meals for home delivery
Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory	Newton	Sort and pack donated children's clothing
Crossroads	Duxbury	Prepare camp for seasonal closure
Dream Day on Cape Cod	Brewster	Prepare camp for seasonal closure
The Esplanade	Boston	Landscape and maintenance around the Charles River
Good Sports	Braintree	Organize sports equipment to be donated to low-income youth
GreenRoots	Chelsea	Plant trees and help "green" the environment
Happy Hope Foundation	Pocasset	Decorate and pack Happy Hope kits for hospitalized or chronically ill children and their families
Holly Hill Farm	Cohasset	Harvest produce for food pantry donation and perform garden maintenance
Hope Floats Healing and Wellness Center	Kingston	Perform outdoor and indoor maintenance projects at a center for families experiencing loss
Hull Lifesaving Museum	Hull	Clean and conduct basic repairs on boathouse and boats
Integrated Center for Group Medical Visits	Lawrence	Construct indoor urban garden and make behavioral health art kits
Jewish Family Services Metrowest	Framingham	Distribute clothing and food to local immigrant and refugee families
JoinedForces	Chicopee	Repair and revitalize the home of a veteran
MA Audubon (Boston Nature Center)	Mattapan	Restore and refresh the Nature Nook children's play area
MA Coalition for the Homeless	Lynn	Build beds for children in need
Magical Moon	Marshfield	Prepare farm and property for annual Harvest Fest, a community event to benefit chronically ill children and their families
New England Village	Pembroke	Beautify gardens for aging population
OCYMCA E. Bridgewater	E. Bridgewater	Renovate Camp Satucket camp store to make food pickup more accessible
OCYMCA Middleboro	Middleboro	Build Camp Yomechas Nature Classroom
OCYMCA Plymouth	Plymouth	Renovate Camp Clark teen space
OCYMCA Stoughton	Stoughton	Expand low ropes course at Camp Christina
Peter Igo Park	Marshfield	Conduct basic park maintenance
Playworks	New Bedford	Paint outdoor recess space at an elementary school
Project Just Because	Hopkinton	Prepare donations for holiday distribution
South Shore YMCA	Hanover	Harvest at Hanover Family Farm
Stars	Westwood	Prepare camp for seasonal closure
Save the Harbor Save the Bay	Boston	Clean Carson Beach
The Salem Pantry	Salem	Prepare food bags for home delivery
Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center	Boston	Maintain trails
UMass Memorial Child Health Equity Center	Worcester	Create child health equity kits to be distributed to families
VA Boston	Brockton	Assist greenhouse and farm-to-table program
West End House	Allston	Prepare for fitness carnival for club members
Weymouth Food Pantry	Weymouth	Prepare meals, work in garden and food pantry
Wonderfund	Burlington	Renovate a family meeting room space at a Department of Children and Families office
WORK Inc.	Dorchester	Build herb and fruit gardens at residential homes for individuals with disabilities
YMCA Greater Boston	Canton	Clean up and winterize camp
Zoo New England	Boston	Plant trees and shrubs
BUILDING-BASED PROJECTS
Annie's Kindness Blankets	25 Technology Place	Make no-sew kindness blankets
Cradles to Crayons	25 Technology Place	Sort and assemble children's items for distribution
Dignity Matters	25 Technology Place	Assemble feminine hygiene kits
Happy Hope Foundation	25 Technology Place	Package Happy Hope kits for distribution to chronically ill and hospitalized children and their families
Hope and Comfort	25 Technology Place	Package hygiene kits for distribution to local not-for-profit organizations
People Making a Difference	25 Technology Place	Build STEM education kits for Boston Public School students
The Trustees	25 Technology Place	Close out our company garden for the season
VIRTUAL PROJECTS
Annie's Kindness Blankets	Virtual	Make no-sew kindness blankets to be distributed to individuals experiencing loss, mental health challenges and other difficult times
Happy Hope Foundation	Virtual	Package Happy Hope kits for distribution to chronically ill and hospitalized children and their families
Letters Against Isolation	Virtual	Write letters to isolated seniors
Love for Our Elders	Virtual	Write letters to isolated seniors
Operation Gratitude	Virtual	Make paracord bracelets for military members
Foster Love/Formerly Together We Rise	Virtual	Create superhero and birthday kits for youth involved in the foster care system