MICHELLE LEDERBERG is the executive vice president, chief legal officer and chief administrative officer at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, which recently received the 2021 Carter Inspiring Partner Award from the Rhode Island Foundation. The award recognizes donors who have demonstrated an approach and commitment to philanthropy.
How did Blue Cross alter its philanthropic efforts during the pandemic? In addition to supporting efforts like the COVID-19 Response Fund established by the Rhode Island Foundation and United Way [of Rhode Island], we checked in with grantees to understand their COVID-19-related needs and creatively employed resources beyond funding – our retail stores for testing/vaccine clinics, transportation vehicles for [personal protective equipment] delivery, and clinical staff to support [the] contact tracing call center. We offered grantees flexibility by relaxing reporting guidelines, not holding to specific timelines, and supporting fundraising events that may not have happened to ensure that our philanthropic investments supported their critical missions and met the most urgent needs.
What key areas of need did Blue Cross focus on? Meeting basic needs, as well as addressing serious health inequities and the behavioral health crisis precipitated by the pandemic, was our primary concern. We stayed focused on access to safe and affordable housing, given housing’s role as the foundational social determinant of health. Guided since 2019 by the RI Life Index, we’ve directed our BlueAngel Community Health Grant program and other significant grant-making toward housing security by supporting local organizations aimed at closing the gap for Rhode Islanders and improving health outcomes. Funding directed toward housing security totals $3 million in the last three years.
In what ways did Blue Cross tackle health needs, especially during the pandemic? To remove barriers to care for our 400,000-plus members, we introduced temporary benefits that allowed access to critical services at no cost. Additionally, we used company vehicles and staff to deliver supplies to the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness and funded transportation to move shelter residents to hotels. To protect first responders and vulnerable citizens, we donated hand sanitizers to the state, the city of Providence and nonprofit organizations. BlueAngel volunteers delivered meals through Meals on Wheels RI to isolated older adults, sewed masks for health care and direct service professionals, and consulted with local nonprofits via Zoom.
What philanthropic efforts does Blue Cross have planned on the horizon? Two significant housing investments: A two-year, $610,000 grant to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Providence’s Aging in Place Program, which provides home modifications and improvements for low-income Rhode Islanders 65 and older, and a $4 million grant over four years to Local Initiatives Support Corp. to catalyze smart, safe and affordable housing development.
