The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida now known as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) celebrates 10 years of enhancing the health and well-being of all Floridians through its foundation, the company is changing the name and expanding the mission of its philanthropy. The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida is now known as the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation (BCBSF Foundation).

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050112/NEW019LOGO )

Founded in 2001, the BCBSF Foundation – the only statewide health care philanthropy based in Florida and serving Floridians – was formed to assist the growing number of Floridians who were uninsured or had limited access to appropriate, quality health care due to economic circumstances, availability of providers or cultural/language barriers. During the past decade, the BCBSF Foundation has evolved and its mission is expanding to meet the changing needs of Floridians.

The BCBSF Foundation's new mission is to improve the health and well-being of Floridians and their communities. It will accomplish this by directing its philanthropy in five focus areas:

• Improving access to health care
• Improving consumer health
• Improving the quality and safety of patient care
• Improving quality of life
• Improving the health care system.

The Foundation also unveiled a new logo that features the Blue Cross and Blue Shield iconic symbols tagged with the word foundation.    

In its first 10 years, the BCBSF Foundation has touched the lives of more than one million people within all 67 Florida counties through 280 grants and awards totaling more than $17 million. BCBSF Foundation's support has also increased the visibility of the nonprofits receiving grants and awards, opening doors for other funding and partnership opportunities.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation is a separate, philanthropic affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) incorporated in the state of Florida. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, and its parent, BCBSF, are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information on the foundation, please visit its website at www.bluefoundationfl.com.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida and the BCBSF Foundation are on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation