AVANCE-EL PASO RECEIVES $20,000 FROM BCBSTX
TO HELP IMPROVE KIDS’ HEALTH THROUGH THE
AVANCE PARENT-CHILD EDUCATION PROGRAM
[EL PASO, TEXAS] (December 6, 2011) — AVANCE- El Paso announced today that it received a $20,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) through its “Healthy Kids, Healthy Families” initiative. Grant funding will focus on children from birth to four years old and their parents who are enrolled in the health focused, best practice AVANCE Parent-Child Education Program. The objective is to ensure parents understand and comprehend the cognitive, physical, emotional and social needs of their children, ultimately creating a healthier home environment.
“We’re proud to give our support to AVANCE-El Paso as a Healthy Kids, Healthy Families partner,” said Debbie Cox community affairs manager for BCBSTX. “Through its work, we expect to see measurable improvements in children’s health by ensuring parents understand the developmental needs of their children ages birth to four years old.”
Healthy Kids, Healthy Families is a three-year initiative that aims to pull together local, state and national resources in an effort to make a significant impact on childhood health and wellness. AVANCE-El Paso
“AVANCE-El Paso is honored to have been selected to receive a grant through the Healthy Kids, Healthy Families initiative of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. For 14 years now, AVANCE-El Paso has been helping families break the cycle of poverty, live healthier lives, and ensure children ages birth to four years old are prepared when they enter kindergarten. We are proud to be changing lives in the El Paso community, and we could not ask for a better partner than BCBSTX to help us continue our efforts in the coming year.”
About Healthy Kids, Healthy Families:
“Healthy Kids, Healthy Families” is a three-year initiative designed to encourage health education, promote physical activity, prevent and manage disease, and support safe environments for children. The program works through investments and partnerships with nonprofit organizations that offer sustainable, measurable programs to reach children directly, through schools and other third parties. Major founding partners include The OrganWise Guys, KaBOOM! and mobile health vans. The program is supported by Health Care Service Corporation and its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. For more information or to seek partnership and funding opportunities, please visit www.HealthyKidsHealthyFamilies.org.About AVANCE-El Paso
AVANCE-El Paso is a community-based, nonprofit organization that provides family support and education services to at-risk, economically impoverished families. The program works with both the parent and the child in order to have a profound impact on the whole family. The most recent school year, AVANCE-El Paso served more than 1,350 parents and children through the Parent-Child Education Program located within 17 schools throughout five school districts in the El Paso region.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas – the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas – is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 40,000 physicians and 400 hospitals to serve 4.6 million members in all 254 counties. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Oklahoma and New Mexico), the country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall. Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.