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 |
SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts