Thursday, October 16, 2014

CATCH Global Foundation Receives Grant from BCBSTX to Improve Kids' Health by Implementing Community-Based School Health Program in Los Fresnos CISD

Austin, TX (10/16/14) – The CATCH Global Foundation announced today that it received a grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) through its “Healthy Kids, Healthy Families” initiative.

“Our commitment to improving child health through the implementation of the CATCH coordinated school health program fits perfectly with the BCBSTX Healthy Kids, Healthy Families program vision to help improve the health of youth in local communities,” said CATCH Global Foundation Executive Director Duncan Van Dusen. “We are very honored that the first grant we received after our formation this year involves partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas to serve 7,500 children in Los Fresnos schools.”

Healthy Kids, Healthy Families began as a three-year initiative aiming to pull together local, state and national resources in an effort to make a significant impact on childhood health and wellness. Now HKHF is a signature initiative of BCBSTX and part of its ongoing commitment to invest in Texas communities.  Likewise, the CATCH Global Foundation links underserved communities to the funds and resources necessary to implement the CATCH program. CATCH is already improving the health of children 10,000 schools worldwide. All parties involved are excited to see the impact CATCH has on the community in Los Fresnos.

“We’re proud to give our support to the CATCH Global Foundation as a Healthy Kids, Healthy Families partner,” said Catherine Oliveros, Director, Community Affairs, BCBSTX. “Through its work, we expect to see measurable improvement in children’s health in Los Fresnos CISD. CATCH will be working with the schools and communities to build capacity through the implementation of their coordinated school health model.”


About CATCH Global Foundation
The CATCH Global Foundation, founded in 2014, expands, develops and sustains the CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) platform, and connects underserved schools and communities to the resources and funds necessary to implement it effectively. CATCH improves the health of children from pre-K through middle school, in both school and after-school settings, through their classroom curriculum, nutritional decisions, and level of physical activity, and supports that impact through community engagement. Since its inception over 25 years ago, CATCH has been created and maintained in a research university setting.  CATCH is the most effective school health program on the market and is now used in 10,000 schools and educational settings worldwide.

About Healthy Kids, Healthy Families:
Healthy Kids, Healthy Families (HKHF) began as a three-year initiative designed to improve the health and wellness of at least one million children through community investments by Health Care Service Corporation and its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Reaching nearly three million children within the first two years, HKHF is now a signature program of the organization and part of an ongoing commitment to invest in and partner with nonprofit organizations that offer sustainable, measurable programs to reach children and their families in areas of nutrition, physical activity, disease prevention and management, and supporting safe environments. To learn more about Health Kids, Healthy Families, please visit www.healthykidshealthyfamilies.org.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) – the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas – is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 80,000 physicians and 500 hospitals to serve 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma and New Mexico), the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall.  Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.     

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