Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island awards $269,000 to local organizations fighting childhood obesity

BlueAngel Community Health Grants support programs promoting health and
wellness for children and families

PROVIDENCE, RI (February 1, 2017) ? Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode
Island (BCBSRI) is honoring five local organizations with BlueAngel
Community Health Grants (BACHG). The BACHG program is BCBSRI?s cornerstone
grant program, supporting nonprofit organizations working to address
critical health issues in Rhode Island. For the past four years BACHG
funding has been directed toward Rhode Island agencies combatting the
critical issue of childhood obesity.

?Encouraging children to be healthy and active at a young age sets them on
the path to a lifetime of wellbeing,? said Kim Keck, president and CEO of
BCBSRI. ?We are honored to partner with these local organizations shaping
healthy habits, from better nutrition to increased physical activity.?

Since the BlueAngel program?s inception in 2002, BCBSRI has donated more
than $3.4 million dollars to support local nonprofit organizations. More
than 270,000 Rhode Islanders have been touched in some way by BACHG funded
programs.

The following organizations and their partners will receive a total of
$143,000 in BACHG funding in 2017:

development program offered at several school sites statewide for girls
ages 8 to 13. Girls train for 10 weeks leading up to a 5K as they learn
about what it means to be healthy physically, mentally and emotionally.
With their $27,000 in funding, GOTRRI will expand its programming to more
sites in lower-income neighborhoods.

program in Central Falls dedicated to making healthy exercise and diet
central to the lives of children (first through fourth grade) and their
families. The $35,000 BACHG will make possible two popular elementary
school sports within their respective school leagues. The program will
also incorporate exercise, diet, and nutrition guidance and will
facilitate two workshops with parents per season.

mobile food market addresses the lack of access to affordable, healthful
food in underserved neighborhoods throughout the state, as well as the
growing demand for local food and the need to create a sustainable local
food system. The mobile market brings fresh fruits and vegetables to
neighborhoods where residents have limited access to affordable, healthful
food. The $50,000 BACHG will expand the markets to schools and family
housing sites and will add evening markets to reach working parents.

Obesity? research program will examine the problem of disparity between
parental perception of a child?s weight and the child?s true weight
condition. During the 2017-2018 school year, the $7,000 received will
support the development of intervention strategies to help change
nutrition patterns.

before- and after-school and full day summer programming for K-12 youth
annually. Through its $24,000 BACHG, NWBRV will expand to offer the
?College Ready Communities – Kids on the Move? program. This will add 30
to 60 minutes of daily physical activity to the curriculum through
designated fitness times and classes, as well as active educational
methods. The program aims to increase children?s desire to be active,
encourage a lifelong habit of exercise and contribute to a reduction in
obesity rates.
In addition to these grants, BCBSRI provides previous awardees the
opportunity to reapply in year two for transitional funding, to build on
successful performance outcomes. Transitional BACHG funding has been
awarded to all six organizations from last year?s BACHG program:

Total BACHG funding for 2017 will be $269,000. This funding is made
available through the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island Community
Health Fund maintained at the Rhode Island Foundation.

About the BACHG Program at BCBSRI
The BACHG program was launched in 2002 and has touched the lives of more
than 270,000 people in the state. The program is a key component in
BCBSRI?s vision of enhancing the quality of life for Rhode Islanders by
increasing the quality of and access to healthcare services. The BACHGs
are made possible by the BCBSRI Community Health Fund, a corporate
donor-advised fund of the Rhode Island Foundation.

About BCBSRI
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) is the state?s leading
health insurer and covers more than 400,000 members. Our mission is to
improve our members? health and peace of mind by facilitating their access
to affordable, high-quality healthcare. BCBSRI is an independent licensee
of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit
www.bcbsri.com, follow us on Twitter @BCBSRI, and like us on Facebook at
fb.com/bcbsri.