Nearly 99,000 free backpacks will have been
given away at annual events since the start of the
health plans' five-year partnership in 2019
LOS ANGELES, July 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- L.A. Care Health
Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan Community
Resource Centers are giving away up to 18,000 backpacks this summer
at their annual Back-to-School events taking place July 2 through August 17. There are 16 events
scheduled across Los Angeles
County, which are free and open to the entire community.
The free backpacks – filled with an assortment of basic school
supplies like notebooks, pens and pencils – help students be better
prepared for the new school year, but also serve as cost-saving
resources for many families who are having trouble making ends
meet.
"As a health plan that understands the link between social needs
and overall health and well-being, we are thrilled to provide
backpacks and essential school supplies to countless families who
continue to feel the pinch from the ever-growing cost of living,"
said L.A. Care CEO John Baackes.
"When students are better prepared for school, they are more
confident and more likely to succeed in school, and that's a big
win for everyone."
The summer events are taking place primarily at the health
plans' jointly operated Community Resource Centers, with a couple
of events hosted at offsite locations, including a local park and a
public housing development.
"Academic excellence and creating peace of mind for students
starts by empowering them with the right school supplies, yet we
know that for many families the back-to-school season may bring
added stress due to financial challenges," said Kristen Cerf, Blue Shield Promise President and
CEO. "Preparing students for a successful school year also includes
bringing resources to their communities. Our Community Resource
Centers offer mental health workshops, Google Tech classes,
homework and GED assistance, reading book clubs, and other valuable
resources for the entire family."
In addition to free backpacks, each event will offer its own set
of unique activities and offerings, such as wall climbing, face
painting, obstacle courses, food pantries, children's health
screenings and vaccinations.
The 18,000 backpacks being given out this year add to nearly
81,000 backpacks distributed since 2019. In 2019, the two health
plans announced a five-year, $146
million commitment to open and operate 14 Community Resource
Centers that address local health, behavioral, and social needs.
Currently, 12 existing centers offer a wide range of free fitness
and wellness classes, health-focused programs, and services that
are open to health plan members and the public to enhance the
community's overall well-being. The health plans will open two
additional locations by year-end 2024 for a total of 14 centers,
serving some of the most under-resourced communities in L.A.
County.
To learn more about the Community Resource Centers, please visit
CommunityResourceCenterLA.org.
Below is the full schedule of events:
Tuesday, July 2
9
a.m. – 4 p.m.
Community Resource Center in
Wilmington
911 N. Avalon Blvd., Wilmington,
CA 90744
Wednesday, July 3
9
a.m. – 4 p.m.
Community Resource Center in
Wilmington
911 N. Avalon Blvd., Wilmington,
CA 90744
Wednesday, July 10
1
p.m. – 5 p.m.
Community Resource Center in
Wilmington
911 N. Avalon Blvd., Wilmington,
CA 90744
Friday, July 12
12
p.m. – 4 p.m.
Community Resource Center in East
L.A.
4801 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles,
CA 90022
2 p.m. – 5
p.m.
Community Resource Center in
Wilmington
911 N. Avalon Blvd., Wilmington,
CA 90744
Saturday, July 13
10
a.m. – 2 p.m.
Community Resource Center in Pomona
696 W. Holt Ave., Pomona, CA
91768
Friday, July 19
10
a.m. – 2 p.m.
Community Resource Center in Lynwood
3200 E. Imperial Hwy., Lynwood, CA
90262
1 p.m. – 4
p.m.
Community Resource Center in
Wilmington
911 N. Avalon Blvd., Wilmington,
CA 90744
Saturday, July 20
10
a.m. – 2 p.m.
Community Resource Center in Panorama
City
7868 Van Nuys Blvd., Panorama City,
CA 91402
Saturday, July 27
10
a.m. – 2 p.m.
Community Resource Center in Long
Beach
5599 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, CA
90805
10 a.m. – 1
p.m.
Mar Vista
Gardens
11965 Allin St., Culver City, CA
90230
Thursday, August 1
9
a.m. – 1 p.m.
Community Resource Center in Metro
L.A.
1233 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles,
CA 90006
Friday, August 2
5:30
p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
William J. McAdam
Park
38115 30th St. E., Palmdale, CA
93550
Saturday, August 3
10
a.m. – 2 p.m.
Community Resource Center in
Norwalk
11721 Rosecrans Ave., Norwalk, CA
90650
Friday, August 9
10
a.m. – 2 p.m.
Community Resource Center in El
Monte
3570 Santa Anita Ave., El Monte,
CA 91731
Saturday, August 17
10
a.m. – 2 p.m.
Community Resource Center in Inglewood
2864 W. Imperial Hwy., Inglewood,
CA 90303
About L.A. Care Health Plan
L.A. Care Health Plan is
the largest health plan in Los Angeles
County serving more than one of every four Angelenos. It is
also the largest publicly operated plan in the country. L.A. Care
offers four health coverage plans including Medi-Cal, L.A. Care
Covered™, L.A. Care Medicare Plus and the PASC-SEIU Homecare
Workers Health Care Plan, all dedicated to being accountable and
responsive to members. As a public entity, L.A. Care's mission is
to provide access to quality health care for L.A. County's
low-income communities, and to support the safety net required to
achieve that purpose. L.A. Care prioritizes quality, access and
inclusion, elevating health care for all of L.A. County. For more
information, follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Blue Shield of California Promise Health
Plan
Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan is a
managed care organization, wholly owned by Blue Shield of
California, offering Medi-Cal. It
is led by healthcare professionals with a "members-first"
philosophy and committed to building a quality network of providers
and partnering with community organizations for more than 530,000
members across Los Angeles and
San Diego counties. For more
information about Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan,
please visit www.blueshieldca.com/promise. For more news about Blue
Shield of California, please visit
news.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or
Facebook.
Media Contacts:
L.A. Care Health
Plan
Penny Griego – (310)
613-8309
pgriego@lacare.org
Blue Shield of California Promise Health
Plan
Olga Gallardo – (323)
537-6364
olga.gallardo@blueshieldca.com
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SOURCE Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan