2022 Annual Report: Ready to Help Our Communities
Blues Perspectives
| 3 min read
At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, our social mission drives the work that we do to help everyone in our communities. In 2022, our total community program support exceeded $3 million, which supported 380 nonprofit organizations across the state.
Blue Cross furthered our ongoing commitment to the residents of Michigan by paying $100 million to the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, of which we are the sole patron. In 2022 the Health Fund enabled projects and collaboratives across the state that improve the health and wellness of Michiganders, which included:
- Helping infants and mothers get the care they need.
- Supporting aging and caregiving initiatives.
- Improving access to high-quality mental health and substance use disorder care.
- Boosting nutrition and increasing opportunities for physical activity for children and older adults.
2022 community support
Here are some of the ways Blue Cross supported communities inside and outside of Michigan in 2022:
Protecting children: In 2022, Blue Cross provided leadership focus and funding to promote education and prevention of child abuse and neglect by engaging local and statewide stakeholders. Thanks to the leadership of Blue Cross President and CEO Daniel J. Loepp and his wife, Amy Tattrie Loepp, we helped Children Trust Michigan achieve record-setting fundraising and raise awareness across the state.
Helping teachers and schools: Across Michigan, children in more than 200 schools are eating healthier foods, being more physically active and performing better in school thanks to an ongoing program made possible through Blue Cross’ collaborative efforts. Since Blue Cross launched the Building Health Communities program in 2009, 14 community partners have joined us to help more than 500,000 students.
Funding research and innovative community programs: In 2022 the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation contributed $2.96 million to 81 initiatives aimed at providing innovative solutions to improve health outcomes for everyone in our state.
Providing a health care safety net: More than 65,000 Michigan residents were able to receive free and low-cost health care and connections to community services at 49 safety net clinics Blue Cross financially supported in 2022.For people in Michigan seeking care for physical and mental health concerns, free and low-cost clinics are located in communities across the state that are ready to help. These clinics are funded in part by Blue Cross’ Strengthening the Safety Net program, which has provided more than $18 million in grants to clinics across the state since 2005.
Decreasing hunger and food insecurity: Many vulnerable people faced increasingly urgent nutrition support needs in 2022 due in part to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Blue Cross responded by increasing our focus on food insecurity in collaborative and intentional ways 110 Michigan food pantries received grants in 2022 to make it easier to provide more nutrient rich foods to those in need.
Extending help to communities in crisis outside of our own: We directed employee contributions and corporate contributions to organizations supporting Ukraine and those impacted by Hurricane Ian in Florida.
