Jan. 1, 1970
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana Extends Partnership with Comfort Cases® to Provide Hope and Dignity to Youth in Foster Care
INDIANAPOLIS – On any given day, there are over 390,000 children in foster care in the US and almost 20,000 children in foster care in Indiana. Many are removed from their homes with minimal personal belongings, often given only a trash bag to carry what little they have. Every child deserves to pack their belongings in a special bag that they can call their own.
On the 6th anniversary of its collaboration, Comfort Cases®, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana announce an extension of their partnership to provide hope and dignity to youth in foster care throughout the state of Indiana. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana was the first corporate partner for Comfort Cases and remains one of its largest supporters.
Comfort Cases® are new backpacks filled with essential items including new pajamas, a blanket, socks, a stuffed animal and age-appropriate books/journals and hygiene kit (soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush/toothpaste, feminine pads, etc.) to agencies and law enforcement to give to youth who are entering the foster care system. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has partnered with Comfort Cases over the past five years to help pack and then distribute cases to local agencies. Since 2018, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana has packed more than 7,000 Comfort Cases to support youth living in foster care.
To commemorate National Adoption Month in November, Comfort Cases and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana will host additional packing parties with community members across the state further reinforcing the spirit of collective responsibility in supporting foster youth. These packing parties will involve group homes and child placement agencies, who will help pack the Comfort Cases alongside Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield associate volunteers and then distribute them to children in foster care.
“Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s longstanding support for Comfort Cases exemplifies our commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of youth across Indiana,” said Dr. Kimberly Roop, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Medicaid President in Indiana. “We are focused on providing youth in foster care not only the physical support they need, but also the emotional support, dignity, and happiness that will improve their quality of life and well-being. We are proud to expand our
partnership with Comfort Cases to address the needs of our most vulnerable youth and ensure they have love, care and support when they need it most.”
As part of the extended agreement, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana will make a substantial financial donation to Comfort Cases.
Rob Scheer, the founder of Comfort Cases, has a deeply personal connection to this cause, as he experienced foster care as a youth. “Packing parties are a wonderful way for our corporate partners to foster a sense of bonding with their local communities,” said Scheer. “When the agencies come to pick up the backpacks that our friends from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield have packed, they talk with them and hear so many inspiring stories of what these cases mean to the children who will receive them.”
The partnership between Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Comfort Cases has grown since 2018. Since the expansion, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s affiliated health plans have hosted 24 packing parties across 16 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico, providing over 12,000 Comfort Cases and XL duffel bags to youth in foster care nationwide.
About Comfort Cases
Comfort Cases is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to inspire communities to bring dignity and hope to youth entering foster care. Since 2013, we have distributed more than 220,000 Comfort Cases® and Comfort XL duffel bags to children in the foster care system in all 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom. We are a gold-level GuideStar participant, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. For more information, please visit: https://comfortcases.org/.
About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Medicaid Health Plan in Indiana
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield works with the state of Indiana to offer the Hoosier Healthwise (HHW), Hoosier Care Connect (HCC) and Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) health insurance programs for 750,000 Medicaid beneficiaries. HHW is a health care program for children up to age 19 and pregnant women that covers medical care like doctor visits, prescription medicine, mental health care, dental care, hospitalizations, and surgeries. HCC offers individuals who are aged 65 years and older, blind, or disabled and who are also not eligible for Medicare health plans that provide the most appropriate care based upon individualized needs. HIP covers residents age 19 through 64 including low-income families. Anthem has administered benefits and services for HHW since 2007, HCC since 2015 and HIP since 2008. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Health Plans, Inc. Independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Anthem is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/anthemBCBS and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AnthemBlueCrossBlueShield.
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Media Contact: David Thalberg, dthalberg@strykermunleygroup.com 917.952.2580
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