WellPoint Contributed More Than $19.8 Million And 15,000 Hours To Health-Improving Causes In 2011

WellPoint, one of America’s largest health benefits companies in terms of medical membership, announced today that its affiliated health plans, corporate foundation and associates contributed more than $19.8 million and 15,336 volunteer hours to health-related causes and community events in 2011.

“WellPoint is passionate about our mission, to improve the lives of the people we serve and the health of our communities,” said Angela Braly, chair, president and chief executive officer of WellPoint. “We bring that mission to life in all we do, and are proud to support programs that make meaningful and measurable improvements in the health of our communities.”

Through its State Health Index – a state-by-state compilation of public health measures – and Healthy Generations grant program, WellPoint and its foundation work to identify the health issues most in need of attention and direct charitable support and volunteer efforts toward improving those areas.

“Our 37,000 associates live and work in the communities we serve,” said Braly. “Being part of the community helps us better identify and address unique and local health care challenges, and as corporate citizens, friends and neighbors, we are privileged to see the impact of our work and giving first-hand.”

Over the past few years, the company and foundation have become increasingly focused on addressing the serious health problems caused by sedentary lifestyles and skyrocketing rates of childhood obesity.

Obesity rates have almost tripled in children since the 1980s and have reached an all-time high among adults, where about one-in-three is now considered obese, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In response, this year the WellPoint Foundation initiated several significant grant relationships to improve youth health, including:

• A three-year, $5 million grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to address the growing threat of childhood obesity by supporting and expanding the nonprofit’s Triple Play program; and
• A two-year, $2.7 million grant to the OASIS Institute to expand CATCH Healthy Habits to 18 locations in 14 states and an estimated 5,000 children and adults. This unique, intergenerational program pairs mature adult volunteers (age 50-plus) with children to encourage healthier eating and physical activity. It has been shown to benefit the health of both the kids as well as the adult volunteers.

“These grant programs are critical to alerting our communities about the public health crisis posed by obesity,” said Lance Chrisman, executive director of the WellPoint Foundation. “Through our grantees we are working to provide families with the tools and education they need improve their health and get their kids off to a healthy start in life.”