Community Impact

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation grants are empowering Michigan residents to make a difference in health care. See how they've made their mark by reading their success stories.

Nearly $500,000 in grants awarded to 4 SUD recovery communities in Upper Peninsula
Helping Veterans Transition out of Homelessness in Detroit
BCBSM, BCBSM Foundation, Michigan Health Endowment Fund and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Team Up to Award Food and Nutrition Insecurity Grants to 14 Michigan Nonprofits

Nearly $500,000 in grants awarded to 4 SUD recovery communities in Upper Peninsula

Four community organizations dedicated to addressing gaps in service for individuals and families facing substance use disorder (SUD) and supporting the development and growth of recovery communities in the Upper Peninsula will receive $490,000 in grant funding. Selected members of the Michigan Opioid Partnership (MOP) – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, Michigan Health Endowment Fund, and Superior Health Foundation – along with community partners, the Michigan Health & Hospital Association, and the Upper Peninsula Health Plan, partnered on the grantmaking project.

Recovery communities offer a wide range of services to support people in recovery from SUD and their family members. This includes health and behavioral health care, peer recovery coaching and self-help groups, in addition to reducing barriers to employment, education, and offering whole health services to their families. Ideally, these services are developed in partnership with people in recovery.

Since 2017, the Michigan Opioid Partnership has awarded grants statewide to hospitals, jails, and community organizations to prevent and treat opioid use disorder, including grants to support coalition development, harm reduction, and medication-assisted treatment programs. The MOP partnered with hospitals and community-based organizations to expand access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder in the Upper Peninsula. Through this work and meetings with community leaders, the partnership identified the need to provide additional grant funding to address recovery from substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder.

Learn more at mibluesperspectives.com

Helping Veterans Transition out of Homelessness in Detroit

It’s a common saying that homelessness doesn’t discriminate – even when it comes to the men and women who have served our country in the military.

In Detroit, organizations like Southwest Solutions are making a difference in the lives of homeless veterans.

When Southwest Solutions opened Piquette Square – a 150-unit apartment building for homeless vets – in 2010 at 6221 Brush St. in New Center, homelessness among veterans was a “huge issue,” said Kenneth Cobb, Southwest Solutions veteran services manager.

Learn more at mibluesperspectives.com

BCBSM, BCBSM Foundation, Michigan Health Endowment Fund and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Team Up to Award Food and Nutrition Insecurity Grants to 14 Michigan Nonprofits

As the COVID-19 pandemic lingered into 2021, food and nutrition insecurity became an increasingly dire issue across the entire state of Michigan.

That’s why, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation teamed up in December 2021 to distribute $650,000 worth of grant funding across 14 nonprofit organizations that prioritize supplying healthy food to the Michigan families and individuals that need it most.

On Tuesday, March 22, BCBSM, BCBSM Foundation, and funding partners met virtually with representatives from those 14 organizations to thank them for their dedication to their communities and to hear the progress each organization has made with its grant thus far.

Learn more at mibluesperspectives.com

To read more stories about how our latest grant recipients are making strides in health care research, see our 2021 Annual Report (PDF)

Take a look at our current year in giving with the BCBSM Foundation's 2022 Grant Highlights (PDF) and BCBSM Foundation’s 2021 Grant Highlights (PDF).

 

In the news

Read more about how our funding is improving health care across Michigan communities.

 

The Role of Supportive Housing on Mental Health: ‘It’s My Own Haven’

Kathy* was homeless until she moved into a townhouse at Coolidge Place Apartments, a 64-unit affordable housing complex in Oak Park. The stability of having a place to call home gives her peace of mind and makes her feel healthier, as she’s no longer battling the constant fear of having to find a place to sleep for the night. 

Calvin University’s Women Supporting Women Program Reaches New Heights with Investigator-Initiated Research Award

Calvin University’s Department of Nursing (CUDON) has made an impact on the mental well-being of women in one of Michigan’s most underserved neighborhoods. This teaches self-care, prevention and strategies to women with symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Mentoring Program Helps Students Learn What They Don’t Teach You in School

Affinity Mentoring, focuses on one-on-one attention between volunteer mentors and students to help students who are grappling with the pandemic. The organization matches students in grades K-8 at six elementary and middle schools with mentors to help them grow their social-emotional skills, build self-esteem and improve their academics.

Aging in Place Takes Dedicated Support Networks

For senior adults, isolation, loneliness and depression are some of the main driving factors behind declines in their health. Two Michigan organizations – ShareCare of Leelanau and Valley Area Agency on Aging – are working to keep seniors connected while they age from the comfort of their homes, with the help of funding from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation.

Blue Cross Takes Actions Large and Small to Make a Difference in Opioid Epidemic

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan takes steps inside and outside the company in the health care space to limit opioids prescribed for pain management and work with physician groups to improve statewide prescribing practices. 
 

Michigan Organizations Addressing Hunger Through Food and Nutrition Insecurity Grant Funding for Better Food Access

The United Way of NE MI and OU are two of the 14 organizations that received “Addressing Food and Nutrition Insecurity to Improve Health Equity” grants in December 2021.