An employee-funded charity, The Caring Program for Children, supplies durable medical equipment to children in need
For more information contact:
Kelly Cannon
816.395.3711 Kelly.Cannon@BlueKC.com
Kansas City, MO. (May 5, 2016) — In a recent campaign for The Caring Program for Children, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) employees raised more than $18,651 to enhance the quality of life for children in our community by providing durable medical equipment and related items not covered by private insurance or state and federal programs.
Founded in 1992, The Caring Program for Children is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by Blue KC and funded entirely by Blue KC employees. Annually, Blue KC employees give more than $30,000 to The Caring Program for Children.
Over the past 2 years, The Caring Program has worked with 30 different agencies to fund almost 170 items including specialty formula, vehicle lifts, and iPads for children who are nonverbal.
Macaela Stephenson, Manager for Community Relations for Blue KC, said, “Through the generosity of our employees we are able to give children in Kansas City items that will enhance their quality of life and the lives of their families. We are proud to support our community in this way.”
Recently, two children came to Blue KC to thank employees for their contributions.
At the visit, four-year-old Olivia was given an adaptive bike. Olivia has a condition that causes tremors in her legs and seizures. As a result, she hasn’t been able to participate in everyday activities with her friends. The adaptive bike allows her to play with her friends as well as get physical exercise and improve her muscle development to gain strength.
Terrelle, an 18-year-old with several medical conditions, also visited with his mother, Rozann. Due to his complex medical conditions, Terrelle depends on his mother for all aspects of daily care including transportation to school and doctors’ appointments.
For each trip, Rozann lifts Terelle and his wheelchair, a total of 190 pounds, in and out of their van. The Caring Program for Children helped to purchase a van lift that allows Rozann to transport Terrelle more easily.
Our employees’ commitment to The Caring Program for Children embodies the Blue KC mission to improve the health and wellness of our members. We’re proud to be a part of the Kansas City community and honored to support this program.
The Caring Program for Children’s Mission: To enhance the quality of life for children in our community by providing durable medical equipment and related items that otherwise could not be afforded by the child’s family and are not covered by state or federal programs or by private insurance.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, the largest not-for-profit health insurer in Missouri and the only not-for-profit commercial health insurer in Kansas City, has been part of the Kansas City community since 1938. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City provides health coverage services to more than one million residents in the greater Kansas City area, including Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas and 30 counties in Northwest Missouri. Our mission: to use our role as the area’s leading health insurer to provide affordable access to health care and to improve the health of our members. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information on the company, visit its website at BlueKC.com.
