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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan CEO Dan Loepp Joins Mayor Duggan and Community Leaders to Announce $5 Million Investment in Detroit’s East Warren/Cadieux Neighborhood
Brianna Neace
| 3 min read
DETROIT, Sept. 30, 2019 – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan CEO Daniel J. Loepp today returned to the Detroit neighborhood where he grew up to announce his company’s $5 million commitment to Mayor Mike Duggan’s initiative to leverage corporate investments into community-driven improvements in Detroit’s neighborhoods. “As a native Detroiter, an east-sider from my earliest years, and as leader of an organization that has called Detroit home for 80 years, it is an honor for me to represent Blue Cross’ commitment to our city’s neighborhoods,” Loepp said. “Blue Cross has made significant investments in downtown and our communities, and we’re pleased to join the mayor and community leaders to amplify those investments in ways that strengthen Detroit’s neighborhoods.” Blue Cross is partnering with the East Warren/Cadieux communities through the Strategic Neighborhood Fund and Affordable Housing Leverage Fund with a $5 million investment that will be disbursed through 2022. The funds will support the revitalization of neighborhood streetscapes and walkability, kickstarting local business and adding and preserving affordable housing. The City of Detroit is seeking the input of residents regarding specific community improvements through district-focused meetings. Residents can learn more about how to get involved at www.theneighborhoods.org. “I’m especially excited to see our dollars leveraged by residents of this neighborhood to design improvements that fit with the needs and character of their community,” Loepp said. “This is a ground-up effort, and we are eager to see the progress that will be made thanks to the ideas and ingenuity of the people who live in this area.” Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has been a longtime proponent of, and investor in, Detroit’s resurgence. The company employs nearly 5,500 people in the city – including more than 50 who live in and around the neighborhoods where BCBSM will be making its investment. In 2011, BCBSM began moving 3,000 employees from Southfield into Detroit’s downtown core – uniting them with employees on the company’s headquarters campus on Lafayette Boulevard. This was one of the first major corporate initiatives of many to follow, bringing workers downtown and revitalizing Detroit’s central business district. "Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has been a longtime supporter of Detroit, and we are thankful for their partnership with the East Warren/Cadieux community,” Mayor Duggan said. “The community has been incredibly engaged, and together, we are going to do great things for this neighborhood.” BCBSM also joined former Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and business leader Roger Penske to invest in new police and EMS vehicles for the city. The company has invested in QLINE transit, as well as bike share stations in the downtown area. For more information on Blue Cross’ involvement in the Strategic Neighborhood Fund and Affordable Housing Leverage Fund, visit www.mibluesperspectives.com. About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides health benefits to more than 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies residing outside the state. The company has been committed to delivering affordable health care products through a broad variety of plans for businesses, individuals and seniors for 80 years. Beyond health care coverage, BCBSM supports impactful community initiatives and provides leadership in improving health care. For more information, visit bcbsm.com and MiBluesPerspectives.com. About the Strategic Neighborhood Fund and Affordable Housing Leverage Fund The Strategic Neighborhood Fund (SNF) and the Affordable Housing Leverage Fund (AHLF) initiatives account for $422 million in private and public support and are expected to leverage more than $1 billion in investment in Detroit neighborhoods. Seven companies — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, American Axle & Manufacturing, Chemical Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Flagstar Bank, Huntington Bank and Penske Corp. — are committing $5 million each to the continued revitalization of these communities over the next five years.
