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Nine nonprofits receive more than $315,000

HELENA — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana has awarded more than $315,000 to support the efforts of nine Montana nonprofits focused on building healthier communities. The Blue Impact℠ Grant program is part of BCBSMT’s commitment to invest in and partner with nonprofits offering sustainable, measurable programs to reach Montanans. 

“We value the connection and purposeful work that our local community partners provide to communities across Montana”, said Lisa Kelley, BCBSMT president. “These grants will help to promote lasting impact, and address concerns that aim to improve health outcomes and access to care.”

This year, grants have been awarded to organizations focused on the five pillars of the Blue Impact Grant program: economic opportunity and stability, nutrition, neighborhood and built environment, locally defined health solutions and optimal health outcomes.

Economic opportunity and stability

Mountain Home Montana: Provides long-term housing support to moms and their children while ensuring access to holistic, two-generational programs giving families resources and skills to overcome generational poverty and trauma while building safe and stable homes.

Mountain Shadow Association: Provides support to grandparents/kinship caregivers of young children as their parents deal with drug misuse and receive treatment. 

Two Rivers Economic Growth: Aims to help solve workforce problems by hosting workshops, apprenticeship programs and helping match employees and businesses in Valley County. 

University Of Montana Foundation: Increases children's interest and sense of belonging in STEM fields and addresses learning loss in math, science and literacy by engaging children with hands-on engineering activities, design thinking and computational thinking programs.

Nutrition

Community Food and Agriculture Coalition: Increases Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participant purchase and consumption of Montana-grown fruits and vegetables by improving produce affordability through SNAP incentives at more than 35 locations statewide.

Montana Food Bank Network: Supports children of Montana living with food insecurity. MFBN provides nutritious food to partner organizations and schools statewide.

Neighborhood and built environment 

United Way of Cascade County: Addresses challenges individuals and families face in obtaining sustainable financial stability and affordable housing.

Butte Rescue Mission: Provides a place to heal in a loving and supportive environment for anyone experiencing hunger and homelessness.

Locally defined health solutions and optimal health solutions

Realize Hope: Specializes in bringing hope to mental health through award-winning advocacy work, focusing on solutions for difficult problems. 

Four current grantees receiving the next stage of funding this year include Helena Indian Alliance, Montana Academy of Pediatric Physicians, Montana Pediatrics and St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation for a total of $475,000 disbursed in 2024 through the BCBSMT Blue Impact Grant program. 

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About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana is a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSMT is the largest and longest-standing statewide, customer-owned health insurer and full-service health benefits administrator in Montana. BCBSMT has provided high-quality health insurance plans and administrative services to Montanans for more than 80 years and is committed to ensuring its members — no matter where they are on the health spectrum — achieve maximum health. Headquartered in Helena with five regional offices, BCBSMT’s purpose is to stand with its members in sickness and in health.

Media Contact

Bryan Campen
bryan_campen@bcbsil.com