Originally posted 05/21/2014 on texashealth.org.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Joins City of Fort Worth, Community Leaders on Blue Zones Project®
FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth leaders are partnering with Blue Zones and Healthways to improve the well-being of the City’s residents, and Blue Zones Project in Fort Worth is one step closer to becoming a reality thanks to a generous $5 million Charter Sponsorship from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX). Of that sponsorship, $2.5 million is in the form of a Community Catalyst Grant to e
ncourage community participation by matching donations dollar-for-dollar. This community-wide effort will result in lowered health care costs, increased productivity and improved quality of life for Fort Worth residents.
“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is pleased to support Blue Zones Project in Fort Worth with a $5 million Charter Sponsorship investment. We share a common goal of making the healthy choice the easy choice,” said Bert Marshall, president, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. “Half of our gift is in the form of a Community Catalyst Grant because community efforts require community investment. Our goal is to incentivize leaders in Fort Worth to raise the $2.5 million in catalyst grant funds before the end of the year. I invite others in Fort Worth to join me in supporting this groundbreaking community well-being project.”
"Fort Worth is fortunate to have a business community that understands what it takes to make a difference and bring about real, positive change in our city,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “Our friends at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas believe in the importance of healthy, active living — not just for our residents, but for our businesses as well. This generous donation and the community challenge lay the foundation which enables Fort Worth to work with Blue Zones Project to become one of the healthiest cities in the nation."
Douglas D. Hawthorne, CEO of Texas Health Resources, added, “Texas Health and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas have a long-standing collaborative relationship to improve the health and well-being of the people in the communities we serve. I extend my personal thanks to Bert Marshall for embracing this Project from the beginning and for serving as an example to others that we can indeed transform health and well-being by working together." Click here to read the full article...