IBC Foundation publishes special issue of Journal of Change on the opioid crisis

In recognition of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month in October, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation produced a focused special edition of The Journal of Change on the opioid crisis. The magazine features thought leadership about the epidemic from diverse perspectives: The Wolf Administration’s work to combat opioid addiction: Meg C. Snead,...
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IBC Foundation president honored for her community service and partnerships

Lorina Marshall-Blake, president of Independence Blue Cross Foundation, recently accepted two prestigious awards for community service and her tireless commitment to improving the health of our region. On September 21, Spectrum Health Services, Inc. honored Marshall-Blake with the Access to Care Award at its 50th anniversary celebration for her work to promote affordable, quality care.  Spectrum Health,...
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National Recovery Month: A Personal Recovery Story

September is National Recovery Month, arguably my favorite time of the year. This year’s theme is “Join the Voices of Recovery: Strengthen Families and Communities,” which perfectly describes what recovery has done in my own life. My recovery started in August of 2007, when I woke up in a hospital after overdosing on opioids. With the support of my friends and family,...
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Independence Blue Cross Foundation hosts community CPR awareness event with Philadelphia Union

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation and the Philadelphia Union welcomed more than 350 people at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday for a community event focused on CPR awareness. Family-friendly activities featured Hands-only CPR training, which has been proven to be as successful as traditional CPR (chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breaths) in saving lives. The Mobile CPR Project,...
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IBC Foundation supports vision training for Philadelphia school nurses

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation, in cooperation with the Eagles Charitable Foundation, supported vision screening professional development for more than 250 Philadelphia school nurses to ensure they are properly trained and certified to administer vision screenings. The all-day event, held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, provided nurses with extensive, in-depth training to certify them as vision screeners....
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IBC Foundation recognizes the value of community health centers

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation (Foundation) recognizes National Health Center Week (August 13-19), which celebrates more than 9,000 community health centers serving more than 25 million Americans across all 50 states. Since 2011, the Foundation has invested more than $15 million through its Blue Safety Net program in over 40 community health centers serving approximately 200,000 individuals annually across southeastern Pennsylvania....
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More than Just a Check: How We Maximize Community Impact

Since 2011, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation (Foundation) has awarded nearly 130 grants to nonprofit agencies through its Building Heathier Communities program. These agencies are committed to providing direct service and support to address the health and wellness needs of specific populations including homeless, youth, minority groups, veterans, women, and incarcerated individuals. We are proud to award grants to many worthy agencies,...
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Celebrating Health Centers: a Crucial Part of the Safety Net

For those of us with health insurance, it can be difficult to imagine our health care without it. We aren’t familiar with the overwhelming stress of finding timely care and then paying out of pocket. Think of it this way: If you didn’t have the resources to pay for food, housing, transportation, and health care, which of these would you choose to go without?...
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Combatting Food Deserts in Our Region

Combatting food deserts in Philadelphia
Vetri Community Partnership’s Mobile Teaching Kitchen is one IBC Foundation partner that works to reduce the number of food deserts in our region. When you go food shopping, you most likely have a wide range of options to choose from. Not only in which retailer you choose — organic grocery store, famer’s market,...
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IBC Foundation announces nearly $1.7M in nursing education and community health and wellness grants

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation (Foundation) announced nearly $1.7 million in funding to support its Building Healthier Communities and Bolstering the Health Care Workforce programs. The grants are aimed at supporting nursing education and improving the health and wellness of more than 10,000 residents across southeastern Pennsylvania, including seniors, children, and diverse underserved populations. Twenty-one nursing schools are the recipients of Nurses for Tomorrow grants,...
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