BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF ILLINOIS ANNOUNCES 2007 CHARITABLE DONATIONS

Blue Cross promotes health and wellness through nearly $3.5 million in gifts supporting medical care for the uninsured, human services, education, and arts organizations in Illinois

Chicago (March 20, 2008) – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) provided nearly $3.5 million in funding to roughly 350 501(c)3 organizations in Illinois in 2007. In line with its new mission, "to promote the health and wellness of our members and communities through accessible, cost-effective, quality health care," BCBSIL's giving focused mostly on community-based organizations that provide hands-on health services to the uninsured. In addition, BCBSIL funded programs that provide human services and education programs to the underserved in communities throughout the state of Illinois, as well as several arts organizations.

"Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is proud to support health and other much-needed services for those who may not have access otherwise," Paul Boulis, BCBSIL president, said. "Blue Cross plays an integral role in many aspects of Illinois' economy. We cover more than 4 million people here. We have a large network of contracting physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers. We have 8,000 employees in more than 20 facilities across the state. Our charitable giving program allows us to provide assistance to those we don’t touch every day."

Charitable funding makes a difference for organizations that receive grants and their communities:

"The generous donations the Community Health Care Clinic receives from Blue Cross and other organizations gives us the ability to provide care to more than 4,000 people in McLean County, who don't have alternatives for primary healthcare except our local emergency rooms," Shirley Drazewski, executive director, Bloomington, IL-based Community Health Care Clinic, said. "Blue Cross' grant was especially instrumental in providing diabetes supplies to hundreds of people in the Bloomington/Normal area."

For more information about BCBSIL's charitable giving programs, contact Clarita Santos at (312) 653-6032 or visit www.bcbsil.com.

With more than 7 million members, BCBSIL, a division of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), a mutual legal reserve company, is the largest health insurance company in Illinois. Since 1936, BCBSIL has been committed to promoting the health and wellness of its members and its communities through accessible, cost-effective, quality health care. BCBSIL is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Following is a list of organizations that received funding from BCBSIL in 2007:

1. Anaia's Breast Cancer Awareness Program
2. Access Community Health Network
3. Access DuPage
4. Access Living
5. Access to Care
6. ACE Mentoring
7. Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc.
8. After School Matters
9. Agape Youth Network
10. Age Options
11. AIDSCare, Inc.
12. Albertsons Stores Charitable Foundation
13. Alexian Brothers Bonaventure House
14. Alivio Medical Center
15. Allendale Association
16. Alternatives
17. American Cancer Society (Chicago, Danville, Jacksonville, Mattoon, Naperville Quincy, Rockford)
18. American Diabetes Association (Champaign)
19. American Heart Association (Chicago, Danville, Mattoon)
20. American Lung Association
21. American Red Cross (Rockford, Springfield)
22. Amigas Latinas
23. Anti-Defamation League
24. Apna Ghar
25. Arab American Family Services
26. Ark
27. Arts & Business Council of Chicago
28. Asian American Institute
29. Asian Health Coalition of Illinois
30. Aspire
31. Association House
32. Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University
33. Aunt Martha Youth Service
34. Avenues to Independence
35. Belvidere Cosmo Charities
36. Benedictine University
37. Better Boys Foundation
38. Better Existence with HIV
39. Between Friends
40. Big Brothers Big Sisters (Adams County, Chicago, Illinois Capital Region, McHenry County, River Valley, Southwestern Illinois, Vermillion County)
41. Big Shoulders Fund
42. Black Ensemble Theater
43. Boys & Girls Clubs (Chicago, Springfield)
44. Boys Hope Girls Hope
45. Bridge Youth & Family Services
46. Bronzeville Children's Museum
47. BUILD
48. Cabrini Connections Tutor/Mentor Connections
49. Cabrini Green Tutoring Program
50. Cara Program
51. Cary 26 Education Foundation
52. Casa Central
53. Cathedral Counseling Center
54. Catholic Charities (Chicago, Quincy)
55. Center for Enriched Living
56. Center for Independence through Conductive Education
57. Center for Speech and Language Disorders
58. Center on Halsted
59. Centers for New Horizons
60. Central Illinois Dental Education and Services
61. Centro de Salud Esperanza
62. Centro Romero
63. Centro San Bonifacio
64. Charles Holden Elementary School
65. Charleston Transitional Facility
66. Chesterfield Community Council
67. Chicago 2016 Olympics
68. Chicago a cappella
69. Chicago Abused Women Coalition
70. Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation
71. Chicago Architecture Foundation
72. Chicago Arts Partnership in Education
73. Chicago Association for Retarded Citizens
74. Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities
75. Chicago Blackhawk Charities
76. Chicago Cares
77. Chicago Children's Advocacy Center
78. Chicago Christian Industrial League
79. Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
80. Chicago Commons
81. Chicago Council on Urban Affairs
82. Chicago Crime Commission
83. Chicago Cultural Center
84. Chicago Defender Charities
85. Chicago Family Health Center
86. Chicago Foundation for Women
87. Chicago Historical Society
88. Chicago House and Social Service Agency
89. Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind
90. Chicago Lights
91. Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network
92. Chicago Police Department
93. Chicago Police Memorial Foundation
94. Chicago Public Education Fund
95. Chicago Public Schools
96. Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
97. Chicago Sinfonietta
98. Chicago Symphony Orchestra
99. Chicago United
100. Chicago Urban League
101. Chicago Youth Centers
102. Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra
103. Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
104. Childcare Network of Evanston
105. Children First Fund
106. Children's Brain Research
107. Children's Home and Aid Society
108. Children's Memorial Hospital
109. Children's Miracle Network
110. Children's Oncology
111. Children's Place Association
112. Chinese American Service League
113. Christian Community Health Center
114. Christian Outreach of Lutherans
115. Christina's Smile
116. Christopher House
117. Circle Family Healthcare Network
118. City of Hope
119. City of Marion Fire Department
120. Civic Federation
121. Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
122. College of DuPage Foundation
123. Columbia College
124. Commercial Club Foundation
125. Community Health
126. Community Health Care Clinic
127. Community Nurse Health Association
128. Community Resource Network
129. Conference of Women Legislators
130. Countryside Association for People with Disabilities
131. CPS Student Science Fair
132. Crisis Center Foundation
133. Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
134. Cure Autism Now Foundation
135. Cure JM Foundation
136. Deborah's Place
137. Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club
138. Donors Forum
139. Downtown Springfield, Inc.
140. DuPage Community Clinic
141. Easter Seals
142. East-West University
143. Edwards Council on Aging
144. El Hogar
145. El Valor
146. Elim Christian Services
147. Emergency Fund
148. Epilepsy Foundation
149. Erie Family Health Center
150. Erikson Institute
151. Expect a Miracle Foundation
152. Family Focus
153. Family Health Partnership Clinic
154. Family Rescue
155. Family Shelter Service
156. First Day Fund
157. Fox Valley Volunteer Hospice
158. Franciscan Outreach Association
159. Friedman Place
160. Friendship Village
161. Gads Hill Center
162. Gilda's Club
163. Gilead Outreach and Referral Center
164. Girl Scouts
165. Golden Apple Foundation
166. Goldie's Place
167. Good Shepherd Manor
168. Goodman Theatre
169. Grant Park Conservancy
170. Gus Foundation
171. Habitat for Humanity
172. Hamdard Center for Health and Human Services
173. Hanna Sacks Bais Yaakov
174. Happiness is Serving Kids in Distressed Situations
175. Harbour
176. Harper College Educational Foundation
177. Health Reach
178. Healthcare Alternative Systems
179. Healthcare Consortium of Illinois
180. Hedwig Dances
181. Hephzibah Children's Association
182. Hispanocare
183. Holy Family Ministries
184. Horizons for Youth
185. Hospice of Southern Illinois
186. Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly
187. Housing Opportunities for Women
188. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
189. Human Rights Campaign
190. Hyde Park Neighborhood Club
191. i.c. Stars
192. Ignite the Fire
193. Illinois Action For Children
194. Illinois Arts Alliance
195. Illinois CASA
196. Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations
197. Illinois Humanities Council
198. Illinois Poison Center
199. Inspiration Corporation
200. Institute for Diversity Leadership in Health Management
201. Institute for the Advancing of Nonprofit Health Care
202. Interfaith House
203. International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago
204. Jane Addams Hull House
205. Jane Addams Juvenile Court Foundation
206. Jacksonville Area Community Food Center
207. James R. Hoffa Scholarship Fund
208. Japanese American Service Committee
209. Jewish Federation
210. John Buck Company Foundation
211. Journeys from PADS to HOPE
212. Junior Achievement
213. Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
214. Kenneth W. Smith Memorial Foundation
215. Keshet
216. Kohl Children's Museum
217. Korean American Women in Need
218. La Casa Norte
219. La Rabida Children's Hospital
220. Lamb's Fold Center for Women and Children
221. Lawrence Hall Youth Services
222. Leap Learning Systems
223. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
224. Lincoln Foundation for Performance Excellence
225. Loyola University Chicago
226. Luna Negra
227. Lutheran Child and Family Services
228. Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
229. Make a Difference Youth Foundation
230. Make a Wish Foundation (Chicago, Marion, Springfield)
231. March of Dimes (Marion, Quincy, Rockford, Springfield
232. Marcy Newberry
233. Mark T. Skinner School
234. Marklund
235. Meals on Wheels (Serendipity)
236. MELD
237. Mental Health Association of Ilinois
238. Mercy Home
239. Mercy Housing Lakefront
240. Merit School of Music
241. Methodist Medical Center Foundation
242. Metro Foundation
243. Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council
244. Metropolitan Family Services
245. Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
246. Midtown Educational Foundation
247. Midwest Council for Children with Disabilities
248. Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans Inc.
249. Misericordia
250. Moose Charities
251. Moraine Valley Community College Foundation
252. Morton Arboretum
253. Mujeres Latinas En Accion
254. Muscular Dystrophy Association (Quincy, Springfield)
255. National Fire and Safety Council
256. National Multiple Sclerosis Society
257. National Museum of Mexican Art
258. N'Digo
259. Near North Health Service Corporation
260. Night Ministry
261. Northern Illinois Hospice
262. Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society
263. Off the Street Club
264. OfficeMax Charitable Foundation
265. Orchard Village
266. PADS Crisis Services
267. Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council
268. PATHWAYS Awareness Foundation
269. Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
270. People's Resource Center
271. Pilsen Homeless Services
272. Polish American Association
273. Providence St. Mel School
274. Quincy Notre Dame High School
275. Reading In Motion
276. Regional Access and Mobilization Project
277. Renaissance Social Services
278. Residents for Effective Shelter Transitions
279. Rest Haven Christian Services
280. River North Chicago Dance Company
281. Riverside Brookfield High School Education Foundation
282. Rockford Association for Minority Management
283. Ronald McDonald House charities
284. Salvation Army
285. San Jose Obrero Mission
286. Sarah's Circle
287. Sarah's Inn
288. Senior Home
289. Senior Services Associates
290. SGA Youth Services
291. Shelter for Homeless Veterans
292. SIDS of Illinois
293. Silk Road Theater Project
294. Sing to Live
295. SIU Foundation
296. SIU School of Medicine Foundation
297. Snow City Arts Foundation
298. Society of Human Resource Management
299. South Side Community Art Center
300. South Suburban Pads
301. Southside Health Association
302. Spanish Coalition
303. Special Olympics
304. Springfield ARC
305. Springfield Fire Department
306. Springfield Parks Foundation
307. St. Coletta's of Illinois
308. St. Joseph College Seminary
309. Steppenwolf Theater Co.
310. Sunny Ridge Family Center
311. SuperSibs
312. Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
313. Tax Assistance Program
314. Teamsters Charitable Trust
315. Teen Parent Connection
316. Test Positive Aware Network
317. Theatre School at DePaul University
318. Thresholds
319. Timothy H. Osmond Memorial Fund
320. Tri City Health Partnership
321. UIC Urban Forum
322. Umoja Student Development Corporation
323. United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Chicago
324. United Way of Metropolitan Chicago African American Initiative
325. University of Illinois Medical Center
326. University of St. Francis
327. Victory Gardens
328. Vital Bridges
329. VNA of Fox Valley
330. Voices for Illinois Children
331. Wicker Park Learning Center
332. Will County Children's Advocacy Center
333. Women Employed Institute
334. Writers' Theatre
335. Xilin Association
336. YMCA (Aurora, Danville, Naperville, Oswego, Quincy, Rockford)
337. Y-ME Breast Cancer
338. You Can Make It
339. Youth Campus
340. Youth Guidance
341. YWCA (Chicago, Quincy)

Back to the Newsroom