BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

BlueCross Foundation Grants More Than $2 Million to Support Healthcare in South Carolina

September 26, 2006

Columbia, S.C. -- The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation recently awarded $2,075,750 in grants to public schools, free medical and dental clinics, and other community groups serving the healthcare needs of the uninsured and underinsured across South Carolina.

The latest round of grants includes $500,000 to public school districts to fund school nurses; $483,025 to groups supporting obesity prevention; $375,000 to free dental clinics; $325,000 to teen pregnancy prevention; $199,275 to reduce misuse of prescription drugs by Latinos; and $193,450 to free medical clinics.

"These are community groups making a valiant effort to improve health for low income populations in South Carolina, and the BlueCross BlueShield Foundation is pleased to award these grants help support their efforts," said BlueCross CEO and Chairman of the Foundation Board of Directors M. Edward Sellers.

Recipients are:

• Williamsburg County School District, $50,000, school nurse grant program, year two.
• Marlboro County School District, $50,000, school nurse grant program, year two.
• Marion School District 7, $50,000, school nurse grant program, year two.
• Marion School District 1, $50,000, school nurse grant program, year two.
• Hampton School District 1, $50,000, school nurse grant program, year two.
• Fairfield County School District, $50,000, school nurse grant program, year two.
• Darlington County School District, $50,000, school nurse grant program, year two.
• Clarendon School District 2, $50,000, school nurse grant program, year two.
• Clarendon School District 1, $50,000, school nurse grant program, year two.
• Bamberg School District 1, $50,000, school nurse grant program, year two.
• South Carolina Coalition for Obesity Prevention Efforts (S.C. Public Health Association), $120,000, to fund "Moving S.C. Towards a Healthy Weight" statewide program.
• South Carolina Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity, $81,600, to fund workshops in partnership with the S.C. Department of Transportation to promote walking/biking "Safe Routes to School," sum to be distributed over two years.
• Kershaw County School District, $117,900, to fund student nutrition and physical activity project, sum to be distributed over three years.
• South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control, $163,525, implementation of "Color Me Healthy" obesity prevention program, sum to be distributed over two years.
• New Horizon Family Health Services, Greenville, $325,000, dental services for medically indigent.
• East Cooper Community Outreach, Mt. Pleasant, $50,000, dental services for Gullah population and other underserved citizens in Charleston and Berkeley counties.
• South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, $350,000, to support implementation of the school-based Medicaid Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Services program.
• Medical University of South Carolina Department of Family Medicine, $199,275, to develop and implement a program to reduce Charleston area Latinos’ misuse of imported or non-prescribed antibiotics, sum to be distributed over two years.
• Free Medical Clinic of Darlington County, $50,000.
• Greenville Free Medical Clinic, $50,000.
• Free Medical Clinic of Aiken County, $49,600.
• Volunteers in Medicine Clinic of Hilton Head, $43,850.