Designed to enhance community health and well-being, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) announced its Healthy Home Team initiative in June 2024. The far-reaching program aims to support high schools throughout the state, with the company set to award $500 grants to 100 schools annually. With a clear vision, the initiative seeks to empower schools by providing financial resources while promoting community spirit. Schools were invited to fill out a short form detailing their current community health support efforts and how they planned to use the grant funds to further these plans. Conducting the process this way ensured that a diverse range of schools throughout the state could benefit from the initiative.
“BCBSNE’s mission to create this program was inspired by their mission to champion the health and wellbeing of their members and the broader communities they serve,” Jeff Russell, BCBSNE’s president and CEO, said, emphasizing the importance of schools as community hubs. “By providing these grants, BCBSNE aimed to empower schools to implement programs tailored to their unique needs, whether that meant starting a community vegetable garden or purchasing new athletic equipment.”
Schools selected for a grant will also receive a customized team spirit sign to display in their athletic facilities, symbolizing their commitment to health and community engagement.
In addition to the 100 $500 grants, BCBSNE announced that it planned to award an additional $5,000 grant to one school each year. This grant was to be given to the school that demonstrated the most compelling proposal based on feasibility, creativity, and potential impact. The winner of this extra grant would be selected from the group of $500 grant recipients, with an announcement slated for November. “We already know it’s going to be a tough decision,” said Russell.
Stephanie Francl, senior director of government and association accounts at BCBSNE, highlighted that the selection process was designed to be both inclusive and competitive. Schools were evaluated based on their proposals’ impact on community health, ensuring that both rural and urban schools, as well as those of varying sizes and classifications, were considered. Francl mentioned, “Our president and CEO feels very passionate about supporting health and well-being, and a big piece of that is the schools. They are our members today, but we also can show up and help support them in different ways than just their health insurance coverage. We did a significant amount of work before launching Healthy Home Team. The team discussed how we best show up by offering the grant and then allowing us the opportunity to have a banner or something similar in the local school gymnasium or ball field.”
Looking to the future, BCBSNE envisions the Healthy Home Team initiative evolving over time. The company plans to reach all high schools across the state over a multi-year cycle, distributing new team spirit signs and grants to support various community health initiatives. This approach is aimed to ensure sustained impact and engagement throughout every school in Nebraska.
Despite the initiative’s positive reception, challenges were anticipated, particularly in streamlining the application process for schools facing staffing and resource constraints. BCBSNE committed to addressing these challenges by simplifying the application requirements to reduce the burden on schools. Francl explained, “We know schools today are very challenged with staffing and keeping teachers, so we’re trying to make it as simple as possible, so they don’t have one more thing to do.”
Community involvement was considered a crucial factor in the success of the initiative. BCBSNE encouraged community members to share photos, videos, and social media content that showcase the impact of their team spirit signs at games and events. Russell mentioned, “We know that Nebraskans have so much pride in their home teams. We have that same pride here at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. Distributing the team spirit signs, in addition to the grants, enables us to celebrate our state’s home teams, which often bring communities together.” The company believes that increased visibility and engagement can lead to more applications and greater overall impact on Nebraska’s communities.
“BCBSNE has also long been a supporter of Nebraska’s students and educators. We have proudly provided health care coverage to Nebraska educators for half a century. In addition to the Healthy Home Team initiative, outreach efforts have included hosting an annual school supply drive, sponsoring the annual Outstanding Nebraska Teacher Award, providing safety equipment for students to use, and more,” said Russell.
The Healthy Home Team initiative not only reflects BCBSNE’s dedication to supporting health and wellbeing, but also showcases the company’s broader commitment to its members and communities. Francl mentioned, “If we positively impact somebody’s life, whether they’re a member or not, and they’re healthier because of it, that’s what success really looks like.”
As BCBSNE celebrates its 85th anniversary, the initiative is a continuation of its long-standing tradition of community support, extending beyond health insurance to tangible, impactful contributions to Nebraska’s schools and their communities.
For more information, visit nebraskablue.com.
This article originally appeared in the October/November 2024 issue of B2B Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
