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Baltimore, MD, February 2, 2021- Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, Inc. (MOWCM) is pleased to announce the grant award of $25,000 from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield for the Home-Delivered Meal Program. MOWCM provides nutritionally balanced meals, personal contact, and related support services to homebound individuals throughout Baltimore City and seven surrounding counties, enabling them to live independently at home.
CareFirst is committed to providing leadership in assessing and addressing a range of health, social, and economic issues in the communities they serve. Their 2020 COVID-19 Response and Relief grant program is designed to support 501(c)(3) nonprofits or public health entities in the goal of minimizing food insecurity, especially among seniors, as well as ensuring that individuals with greater health risks have the support to successfully quarantine in place. By supporting MOWCM and their homebound senior clients, CareFirst is showing their dedication to alleviating hunger among the most vulnerable Marylanders.
MOWCM has prepared, packaged, and delivered more than 2,500,000 meals since last March to meet the increased need for food caused by the pandemic, more than triple their normal production rate. With the support from CareFirst, they will continue this work into future. Stephanie Archer-Smith, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland says of the grant, “We are thrilled that CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield chose to support the home-delivered meal program at MOWCM. Through these vital funds, we are able to continue serving those most vulnerable to COVID-19, our aging and Senior neighbors.”
“Health begins in our homes, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods and communities,” said Destiny-Simone Ramjohn, Ph.D., Vice President, Community Health & Social Impact at CareFirst. “Access to nutrient-dense meals is essential to avoiding preventable diseases and helps increase the overall health of individuals and families. CareFirst is proud to work alongside Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland to remove obstacles to health and make a lasting impact on the communities that we collectively serve.”
About Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, Inc.
Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland (MOWCM) is a nonprofit organization that enables homebound seniors to eat well and remain independent in their own homes. Their dedicated staff and volunteers prepared and delivered more than 2,500,000 nutritious meals from March 2020 to January 2021 to homebound seniors in Central Maryland. But MOWCM is More than a meal™—they also provide grocery shopping and other support services to help clients maintain independence and reduce social isolation. To learn more, visit: www.mealsonwheelsmd.org
About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
In its 83rd year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit healthcare company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.4 million individuals and employers in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2019, CareFirst invested $43 million to improve overall health, and increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of healthcare throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit our website at www.carefirst.com and our transforming healthcare page at www.carefirst.com/transformation, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.
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