UTICA, N.Y. — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield recently awarded On Point for College Utica a Community Health Award of $4,000 to support their Excellus Scholars Emergency Support Services. This program will provide access and success services to help students enroll in, persist in, and graduate from college. On Point helps students overcome barriers allowing them to pursue higher education and obtain careers as nurses, physicians, CNAs, therapists, medical interpreters, and other healthcare professionals.
“We help lowerincome, first generation students believe that college is possible,” explains Kevin Marken, On Point for College Utica director. “This funding will allow us to provide 20 On Point students, who are currently enrolled in college and pursuing studies in a healthcare field, the services necessary to persist and graduate. These new healthcare professionals will have the potential to improve the health and wellbeing of those in our community.”
The mission of On Point for College is to break down barriers that prevent young, under-served individuals from achieving education and career success. On Point for College strives to transform communities by making college, training, and career success a reality for those who face great obstacles. With office in Syracuse and Utica, the organization serves youth in Onondaga, Cayuga, Oswego, Cortland, Madison, Oneida, and Herkimer counties.
Through a competitive application process, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Community Health Awards provide funding to launch, expand, and sustain programs and services that promote health. These investments advance health equity by extending the reach of preventive health services or health-promoting programs to vulnerable populations. The health plan’s corporate giving follows all applicable laws and regulations and does not support funding organizations that conflict with its corporate mission, goals, policies, or products.
“The company’s Community Health Awards demonstrate a corporate commitment to support local organizations that share our mission as a nonprofit health plan,” said Eve Van de Wal, Utica regional president of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. “We recognize that addressing social determinants of health, such as education, are vital to the health and wellbeing of our communities and we are pleased to support On Point for College Utica with this essential funding to help remove barriers to education for those in our community and help create opportunities for students to enter into the healthcare field.”
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is committed to supporting local organizations that improve community health. The company’s corporate giving follows all applicable laws and regulations and does not support funding organizations that conflict with its corporate mission, goals, policies or products.
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Utica region encompasses Clinton, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego and St. Lawrence counties.
About Excellus BCBS
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with 1.5 million upstate New York members. The company’s mission is to help people live healthier and more secure lives through access to high-quality, affordable health care. Its products and services include cost-saving prescription drug discounts, wellness tracking tools and access to telemedicine. With more than 3,500 employees, the company is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce to foster innovation and better serve its members. It also encourages employees to engage in their communities by providing paid volunteer time off as one of many benefits. To learn more, visit ExcellusBCBS.com.
