Throughout 2019, Anthem Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc., remained committed, connected and invested in communities across the country. Bringing its community program activity to $54 million, last year Anthem Foundation announced 32 new or continuing grants to nonprofit organizations that are working to reduce disparities, with a strong focus on social drivers of health that negatively impact the lives of individuals and families.

“Throughout 2019 Anthem focused on the most pressing issues facing our country, with an emphasis on food insecurity. Through our strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country we were able to bring innovative programs to life, making a direct impact within communities across America,” said Gail Boudreaux, president and CEO, Anthem, Inc. “As we begin this new year, we remain committed to removing social barriers for the nation’s most vulnerable populations, and working with organizations that will provide individuals and families access to affordable, nutritious foods, while encouraging healthy behaviors, resulting in improved wellness and long-term health benefits.”

One of those key drivers that Anthem Foundation centered its focus around was bringing awareness to the growing food insecurity crisis facing over 37 million Americas. The Foundation provided funding that helped an array of programs including packing events that supplied children with free meals on weekends, expanding food emergency programs on college campuses, and assisting older adults with free programing aimed at increasing healthy behaviors.

Highlights of the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to ensuring individuals and families across the country have access to programs and resources that improve overall health and wellness include:

  • Designated as a Leadership Partner by Feeding America - the country’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization - Anthem Foundation is supporting the launch of the ‘Food is Medicine’ program through a $1 million grant. The funding supports programming for seven food banks to partner with hospitals to implement food insecurity interventions. In 2019, over 32,000 individuals participated in the program. Additionally, the Foundation is partnering with the Food Trust, bringing the Heathy Food Retail Initiative to key communities to ensure residents have access to nutritious foods. Throughout the year, 36 stores provided healthy food access, food incentives, health screenings and community engagement to 12,000 individuals;
  • Partnering with Disabled Sports USA, the Foundation’s grant provides over 1,400 wounded warfighters and youth with disabilities adaptive sports instruction and opportunities in more than 20 sports. Working alongside community-based chapters at more than 15 events, the program increased physical activity levels, supported more complete rehabilitation, improved independence and positive relationships – all resulting in better physical and mental health.
  • Since 2012, the American Heart Association and Anthem Foundation have been tracking toward doubling sudden cardiac arrest survival rates and bystander response rates through Hands-Only CPR Training. The partnership has been recognized with nine national awards including two Halo Awards, the Silver Telly Award and received three gold Stevie American Business Awards. To date, more than 10.5 million Americans have been trained in hands-only CPR, with 84,000 CPR kits distributed to schools, individuals and businesses and more than 100,000 trained on Anthem Foundation funded training kiosks

Since 2015, Anthem associates across the nation have participated in the organization’s largest community-based service campaign, Anthem Volunteer Days. This year hundreds of projects concentrated on improving and expanding access to sufficient, affordable and healthy food options, with annual volunteer hours exceeding 100,000. In addition to year-round giving to health-related charities, which totaled $4.7 million, Anthem associates also joined the Foundation and its focus to end hunger by raising $594,000 on #GivingTuesday. In total, 2019 associate community engagement efforts resulted in the equivalent of 500,000 meals served.

Moving into 2020, Anthem Foundation continues its momentum by bringing together key stakeholders that are focused on finding solutions that can help improve the health of our neighborhoods, while remaining committed to providing essential resources to those in need in an effort to create a healthier generation of Americans.

About Anthem Foundation

The Anthem Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc. and through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes the organization’s commitment to improving lives and communities. Through strategic partnerships and programs, the Foundation addresses the social drivers that will help create a healthier generation of Americans in communities that Anthem, Inc. and its affiliated health plans serve. The Foundation focuses its funding on critical initiatives that make up its Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets: maternal health, diabetes prevention, cancer prevention, heart health and healthy, active lifestyles, behavioral health efforts and programs that benefit people with disabilities. The Foundation also coordinates the company’s year-round Dollars for Dollars program which provides a 100 percent match of associates’ donations, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. To learn more about the Anthem Foundation, please visit http://www.anthem.foundation and its blog at https://medium.com/anthemfoundation.