BATON ROUGE, La. – In a series of volunteer events recognizing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - National Day of Service, employees with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Healthy Blue and Entergy Louisiana packed 204,714 meals for Louisianians facing food insecurity.
Food banks, Council on Aging and other organizations stocked shelf-stable red beans and rice meal kits that nearly 600 volunteers packed at eight events statewide. They will distribute meals throughout the year to families, seniors and others in need.
See the pack party volunteers at work in this video (1:34).
“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Healthy Blue and Entergy Louisiana have an authentic and enduring commitment to communities across Louisiana,” said Bret Raymond, The Pack Shack chief executive officer. “Their collaboration to pack over 200,000 delicious, healthy meals demonstrates their concern for the practical needs of neighbors in need across the state, and their partnership clearly communicates what it means to #BeNeighborly!”
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Healthy Blue and Entergy Louisiana sponsored the meals in honor of their recognition as Louisiana businesses included among The Civic 50. This is an annual designation from the Points of Light Foundation of the 50 most community-minded companies in America. In addition to employees from the sponsoring organizations, representatives from Miss Louisiana and the New Orleans Saints volunteered at these events.
“We know that food banks and community organizations addressing hunger typically have their lowest supplies at the beginning of the year, after giving meals during the holiday season and responding to the severe winter weather we recently had,” said Michael Tipton, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation president and head of Community Relations. “We are so thankful our volunteers gave their time to help them restock and continue meeting needs in our area.”
Since 2018, Team Blue volunteers have packed nearly three-quarters of a million meals through these annual events, Tipton added.
"Healthy Blue is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of Louisianians in diverse communities across the entire state, with food security at the heart of our mission," said Dr. Christy Valentine Theard, President of Healthy Blue. "Our bold initiative to pack more than 200,000 meals represents not only our commitment to service, but also our devotion to the health, hope and unity of Louisiana. We are proud of our alliance with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and Entergy Louisiana in this mission, and even more proud of the monumental progress we have achieved toward building a healthier state."
"Entergy Louisiana is honored to stand alongside Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and Healthy Blue in our shared commitment to serving the communities of Louisiana,” said Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana president and CEO. “By collectively packing over 200,000 meals, we are not only addressing immediate food insecurity but also demonstrating our enduring dedication to supporting our neighbors in need. Together, we are making a meaningful impact on the lives of Louisiana families and seniors, embodying the spirit of community and compassion that defines our region."
Follow Blue Cross on social media @BCBSLA to see photos and videos from the pack parties. Blue Cross posts regularly on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. We have been recognized for the past five years as an honoree of The Civic 50, named by Points of Light as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. We invite all Louisianians to visit our website at www.bcbsla.com or talk to us on social media @BCBSLA.
About Healthy Blue
Healthy Blue is a managed healthcare provider that has been serving the state since 2012, and currently serves the state’s Medicaid, Medicaid Expansion and LaCHIP programs. Healthy Blue, a joint venture between Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and Anthem Partnership Holding Company, LLC (parent company, Anthem, Inc.), recognizes the challenges low-income and underserved individuals face, and tailors its programs such that health plan members are assured care that is not only accessible, but also accountable, comprehensive, integrated and patient-centered. Healthy Blue provides ongoing community relations and outreach to encourage members to become active participants in their healthcare. Also, through health education programs, members are empowered to choose and sustain healthy lifestyles. To learn more about Healthy Blue, visit www.myhealthybluela.com and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter @HealthyBlueLA and LinkedIn @healthy-blue-louisiana.
About Entergy Louisiana
Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers in 58 parishes and natural gas service to more than 94,000 customers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Entergy Louisiana is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR), an integrated energy company engaged in electric power production, transmission and retail distribution operations. Entergy delivers electricity to 3 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy owns and operates one of the cleanest large-scale U.S. power generating fleets with approximately 24,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including 5,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, Entergy has annual revenues of $10 billion and approximately 12,000 employees.
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