BOSTON — August 27, 2012 — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) will celebrate its 75-year legacy of community partnership and support with its second annual company-wide Service Day. On September 25, more than 3,000 BCBSMA employees, known as BlueCrew volunteers, will fan out across the state with the goal of providing 16,000 volunteer hours to 29 schools, parks, and other community organizations all on one day.
"For 75 years we've been committed to playing a leadership role in the community," said Andrew Dreyfus, President and CEO. "Service Day gives our associates and our community partners the opportunity to come together in a common purpose to make a difference across Massachusetts. It's a privilege to serve with them to improve the communities our members call home."
The twenty-nine 2012 Service Day projects support BCBSMA's corporate citizenship strategy, which is centered on four key focus areas: Healthy Child Development, Education Enrichment, Healthy Environments and Family Nutrition, and Sustainable Health Care. Find and "like" BlueCrew @ Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusettson Facebook to learn more.
On September 25, the company will remain open in a limited capacity. Dedicated call center associates, essential to supporting BCBSMA members, will work throughout the day, operating in shifts to ensure they can join in Service Day activities. During their volunteer shifts, the associates will sort items collected in office donation drives and assemble winter gear and educational kits for Cradles to Crayons. The kits will be delivered to low-income children across Massachusetts.
2011 Service Day Highlights
Last year over 3,000 BlueCrew volunteers contributed 16,000 volunteer hours on the first ever Service Day—more than in all of 2010! View the video. Highlights include:
- Helped the town of Monson restore Veterans Memorial Field destroyed by the June 1, 2011 tornado.
- Provided more than 10,000 low-income children with clothes, toys, and school supplies.
- Restored, maintained, and beautified the grounds at more than 19 sites across the Commonwealth.
- Constructed playgrounds, painted classrooms, workspaces and murals at four Boston schools and learning centers.
- Helped area food banks and pantries provide more than 20,000 nutritious meals to vulnerable families across the state.
Community and Economic Impact Beyond Service Day
As the largest community-focused, taxpaying, not-for-profit health plan in Massachusetts, BCBSMA is committed to serving with its community partners to improve the communities its members call home. A recent press release issued by the Massachusetts Office of Attorney General reports that six Massachusetts HMOs—including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts—provided more than $143 million in community benefits for Massachusetts residents in Fiscal Year 2011.
In the announcement Attorney General Martha Coakley states, "HMOs provide important support for health services and people in need through various programs that benefit communities across the Commonwealth. I applaud the work of these HMOs in demonstrating their continued commitment to the principles of the Community Benefits Program."
Additionally, a new BCBSMA 2011 Corporate Citizenship Report highlights other measurable and sustainable benefits BCBSMA's community and economic contribution strategies are having throughout the Commonwealth. Highlights include:
- More than $1.6 billion contributed to the Massachusetts economy.
- 6,300 jobs1; 3,500 are employed by BCBSMA.
- More than $218 million in total revenue for the state government in taxes, assessments and fees. In addition to state and municipal taxes and assessments, BCBSMA also paid $36.9 million in federal taxes last year.
- $5.1 million in philanthropic contributions to more than 500 nonprofit organizations, including food banks/pantries, youth and social services organizations, etc. to enrich the lives and neighborhoods of Massachusetts residents.
- 21,000 summer job hours provided to Boston public high school students through the Boston Private Industry Council.
- More than 3,000 Blue Cross associate volunteers—know as BlueCrew—dedicated 26,100 of community service hours, valued at $750,000, to 161 projects. Nearly 16,000 of these hours were completed on our first company-wide Service Day.
- Recognized as the #1 corporate partner for volunteer hours and overall contributions by Cradles to Crayons, which distributes clothes, books, and school supplies to homeless and low-income children.
Commitment to the Environment
Recognizing the connection between healthy communities and a healthy environment, BCBSMA has also made a commitment to build on its 2011 accomplishments in paper use, waste and energy reduction by setting ambitious company-wide environmental goals that seek to:
- Reduce absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 15 percent by 2015 (against a 2010 baseline).
- Reduce absolute waste sent to landfills by 15 percent by 2015 (against a 2010 baseline).
- Reduce office paper use by 15 percent in 2012 (year over year).
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (www.bluecrossma.com) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. Celebrating our 75th anniversary in 2012, we are committed to working with others in a spirit of shared responsibility to make quality health care affordable. Consistent with our corporate promise to always put our 2.8 million members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality.
1. The impact on employment is derived from employees who work directly for BCBSMA and the total number of employees who work for other businesses that supply BCBSMA with goods and services.