Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island employees lend a hand to nonprofits during annual day of service
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept. 13, 2024) – Today, more than 550 Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) associates fanned out across the state to participate in Blue across Rhode Island, an annual company-sponsored day of service when employees come together to volunteer at local community- based organizations.
The theme of this year’s event – “Lucky #13” – celebrates the 13th anniversary of Blue across Rhode Island, which is taking place on Friday the 13th and benefits 13 local nonprofits.
During the daylong event, organized teams of BCBSRI employees volunteer at organizations that applied for help with projects to support the health and wellbeing of Rhode Islanders. It’s one of the largest company-sponsored volunteer events of its kind in the state.
“It’s the 13th anniversary of Blue across RI and we are, indeed, lucky to partner with organizations that share our mission of positively impacting the health and well-being of Rhode Islanders,” said BCBSRI President and CEO Martha L. Wofford. “Service to community is a value we demonstrate every day at BCBSRI, and especially on Blue across Rhode Island day. We’re excited to get out into the community together, roll up our sleeves, and lend a helping hand. We live here, we work here and it’s immensely rewarding for us to volunteer here – working shoulder-to-shoulder with community partners to improve the lives of Rhode Islanders.”
For Blue across Rhode Island 2024, volunteers are helping a variety of community-based organizations through projects that address food access, housing, dental care, mental health, and community recreation. The following are the 13 participating organizations that BCBSRI employees are supporting:
Amenity Aid
Boys & Girls Club of East Providence
Children’s Friend
Communities for People
Gotta Have Sole Foundation, Inc.
Highlander Charter School
Hope Alzheimer’s Center
#RecessRocksinRI at Norwood Elementary with Playworks New England
Rhode Island Oral Health Foundation – RI Mission of Mercy
South County Habitat for Humanity
Special Olympics Rhode Island
The ELISHA Project
The Village Common of Rhode Island
In addition to the time and effort of volunteers, BCBSRI awards each partner organization $5,000 in grant funding. Since the launch of Blue across Rhode Island in 2012, $810,000 in BCBSRI funding has been distributed to 78 organizations across the state for more than 140 projects. BCBSRI associates have logged more than 37,000 volunteer hours. These projects have had an impact on the lives of more than 184,000 Rhode Islanders.
Since the company’s founding, BCBSRI has partnered with community organizations across the state through philanthropy, partnership, and service. BCBSRI’s multifaceted corporate social responsibility program, BlueAngel Community Investment, has enabled associates to serve the community, with efforts such as Blue across Rhode Island.
