Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Donates to COVID-19 Relief Funds Across NH

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Commits $415,000 to COVID-19 Relief Efforts in New Hampshire

Funding will help address food insecurity and COVID-19 emergency response efforts in the Granite State

As part of its continuing efforts to support communities impacted by COVID-19, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire and its philanthropic arm, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, announced new grants to the New Hampshire Food Bank, Granite United Way, United Way of Greater Nashua, and a number of other organizations. These grants are part of a $415,000 commitment Anthem has made in New Hampshire to address food insecurity and other recovery efforts by supporting nonprofit organizations on the front lines of the pandemic.

“Many families across New Hampshire are struggling with the effects of COVID-19, including access to nutritious food. We’ll continue to support local efforts that are providing relief for our neighbors, businesses, nonprofit partners and health care workers as we recover from this pandemic,” said Lisa Guertin, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire. “We know the needs of individuals and the communities we serve continue to evolve, and that’s why we’re targeting grants to organizations like the NH Food Bank and United Way chapters that can get critical resources to those who need it most. And Anthem’s New Hampshire-based associates are committed to giving back to our Granite State communities through volunteerism and financial support.”

Anthem has been working with partner nonprofit organizations to provide funds supporting emergency response, access to food, protective and medical equipment, and mental health services. Highlights of Anthem and the Foundation’s COVID-19 response in New Hampshire include:

• $35,000 to the NH Food Bank, which will provide 70,000 meals for Granite Staters via the Food Bank’s 425 partner agencies across the state. Anthem is also donating $5,000 to End 68 Hours of Hunger to provide 840 weekend meals and snacks to 20 schoolchildren in Manchester and $5,000 to Gather NH to support its Pantry Market, Meals 4 Kids program, and Mobile Pantry Fresh Markets on the Seacoast.
• $35,000 distributed among five Boys & Girls Clubs in Manchester, Nashua, Salem, Concord/ Lakes Region, and the North Country to support club food pantries and continue healthy living programming such as Triple Play and Positive Action.
• $30,000 to Granite United Way, which is providing access to food, transportation and financial assistance to over 5,000 people in need, and helping 58,000 others connect to medical assistance, unemployment benefits and housing though the 211 NH hotline.
• $30,000 to United Way of Greater Nashua for its community relief fund, which is providing targeted relief grants to 51 local nonprofits, more than 72,000 school breakfasts and lunches, food assistance to more than 120 families, and tens of thousands of masks, medical gowns, hand sanitizer, thermometers, and other equipment to hospitals, local agencies, and the general public.
• $20,000 to Easterseals NH to support case management and meet the emergency financial needs of 1,000 veterans in the state.
• In April and May, Anthem partnered with ConvenientMD, a local urgent care and medical services provider, to open a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth.

“Already, one in nine men, women, and children in New Hampshire don’t know where their next meal is coming from, and we’re seeing increased demand for hunger relief assistance all over the state due to the pandemic. We’re grateful for Anthem’s generous support, which will greatly aid our efforts to provide more food to our local partner agencies,” said Eileen Luponis, executive director of the New Hampshire Food Bank.

“The COVID pandemic has greatly impacted our kids and their families, and we have been working to provide nutritious meals that they can pick up and bring home. This grant from Anthem will help us to continue to serve our kids as we recover from this pandemic. We cannot thank Anthem enough for supporting our members, our Club and our community, not only in these challenging times but over the last several years,” said Diane Fitzpatrick, CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Manchester.

The Foundation continues to support national partners such as the American Red Cross, AmeriCares, and Direct Relief to ensure access to emergency assistance for individuals and families and provide personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies for health workers. In addition, a Foundation grant to Mental Health America is supporting MHA’s Screening to Supports (S2S), an online platform offering free, anonymous mental health screens to nearly 1 million people per year, with analysis of results and customized recommendations for next steps.

Anthem associates also continue to be engaged in their communities. So far this year, Anthem’s associates in New Hampshire have donated more than 500 hours of volunteer time and, combined with a $1:$1 match from the Foundation, have donated more than $49,000 to nonprofit causes.