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BlueCross Foundation Grants Nearly $3.5 Million to Support Healthcare in South Carolina

January 25, 2007

Columbia, S.C. -- The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation in 2006 made grant awards totaling $3,499,467 million to public schools, nursing education, free medical clinics, hospice care, and other community groups serving the healthcare needs of the uninsured and underinsured across South Carolina.

The latest round of grants, decided in December, includes a total of $1,261,040 awarded to eight groups. These recipients are:

  • University of South Carolina at Salkehatchie, serving Allendale, Barnwell, Bamberg, Colleton, and Hampton counties, $450,000 over three years for nursing education
  • AccessNET, a consortium of healthcare providers in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties, $150,000 for transportation, chronic disease case management, and Spanish language education
  • Capital campaign for a new hospice in Georgetown-Tidelands, $100,000
  • Columbia Free Medical Clinic, serving the Midlands counties, $100,000
  • Good Samaritan Medical Clinic, serving Chester County, $50,000
  • Free Medical Clinic of Newberry County, $50,000
  • Rosa Clark Free Medical Clinic, serving Oconee County, $34,040
  • CareLINK care management system, serving Fairfield and Newberry Counties, $100,000 over two years
  • Helping Hands Free Medical Clinic, an outreach of Marion Regional Healthcare System, serving Marion County, $25,000.
  • Commun-I-Care, assistance with supplying prescription medications to zero-income patients, primary through free medical clinics statewide, $202,000.

"These grants will make medical services more accessible to target populations such as the working poor, children, the elderly, Native Americans, migrant and seasonal farm workers, individuals with chronic diseases, the homeless and single heads of households," said BlueCross CEO and Chairman of the Foundation Board of Directors M. Edward Sellers. "The BlueCross BlueShield Foundation is pleased to award these grants to help support community efforts."

Headquartered in Columbia, the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation is a philanthropic affiliate of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. It was created to identify and help solve South Carolinians’ health problems, with special emphasis on access, affordability and quality of healthcare. The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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