Your community
is also ours.

We’re working to build a stronger,
healthier place for all North Carolinians.

Unwavering Commitment to Our Communities

"By supporting innovative, sustainable initiatives, and recognizing the need to also support capacity, we invest in our communities to better the overall health of North Carolina."

Cheryl Parquet
Director, Community Engagement and Marketing Activation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

 


Watch our Community Impact video to see how we continue to support North Carolina communities during these unprecedented times.

COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS

To connect our neighbors with the resources they need, Blue Cross NC partners with organizations that know our communities inside and out.

Read our Corporate Report for more details about our multifaceted efforts to build a healthier North Carolina.

Strategic Community Investment Priorities

The Community and Diversity Engagement team's multi-year investment strategy has a goal of working toward equitable access, resources and outcomes across our state. By supporting innovative, sustainable initiatives, and recognizing the need to also support capacity building and administrative operations, we will invest in our communities to better the overall health of all North Carolinians.

Through existing and new partnerships, we will focus on listening to the communities we serve, allowing us to be responsive to their needs and support locally led efforts across rural areas and within diverse populations. In addition to supporting new programs, we will identify initiatives that have proven successful within communities, and support and expand these efforts to have a greater impact. We will also work with our partners to establish baseline metrics and track measurable outcomes across populations and geographies.

Food Security

Far too many North Carolinians – especially children and older adults – don’t reliably get enough to eat. The pandemic disrupted the food system, and supply chain issues, rising costs and inflation have made food access even more challenging. We continue to adapt to changing circumstances to help our neighbors in need.

By investing in food banks, delivering meals, offering nutrition education, supporting local farm-to-table initiatives, providing crisis relief and focusing our resources on the hardest-hit areas of the state, we help ensure that North Carolinians have access to an abundance of nutritious food. We strive to meet people’s needs in the moment and to develop solutions for a sustainable future.

One of our investments, F.A.R.M. Café in Boone, is a pay-what-you-can restaurant that serves meals from locally sourced ingredients. By using donations – including “imperfect” food from local grocers, surplus from local farmers and contributions from community members – F.A.R.M. Café feeds neighbors in need while helping to stop food waste. Read more about F.A.R.M. Café’s innovative solutions to improve food security, support local farmers and care for the environment.

We're investing in making health care better for all.

Inequities in health care result in social, economic and health disparities for marginalized communities.

Blue Cross NC is investing in three statewide programs to reduce these inequities across the state. We're supporting nonprofit organizations and health entities that are supporting and improving health outcomes for Black, Hispanic, American Indian, rural and other underserved and marginalized communities. And we're focusing on three areas that can make the biggest impact in overall health.


Behavioral Health RFP

Behavioral health can affect the total health of a person. But one in five adults will experience a behavioral health disorder and they may not have access to adequate mental health care.1

We're investing in organizations across the state, especially in rural and underserved communities, that ensure access to behavioral health care and resources.

Learn More

Maternal and Infant Health RFP

Black, Hispanic and American Indian pregnant and birthing people are more likely to have fatal outcomes during and after pregnancy,2 and babies born to marginalized birthing people are almost 2.5 times more likely to die before age one.3

We're investing in organizations that increase access to maternal and postpartum health care and educational resources for underserved birthing people.

 

Learn More

Strengthen NC

We know that the organizations and people who live and work within our historically underserved communities understand the community's needs the most. And we want these organizations to lead how and where they need to.

We're investing in organizations led by and serving people of color to give them the power and resources to make the important decisions about what they need to better serve these communities.

 

Learn More

HealthyBlue(R)

Helping transform Medicaid in North Carolina

As an extension of Blue Cross NC’s mission to improve the health and well-being of our customers and communities, we are offering Healthy Blue, our plan for Medicaid members. We’ve built an innovative and well-coordinated system of care that focuses on the whole person, addressing both medical and non-medical drivers of health. With our focus on primary care, preventive health and care management, Healthy Blue is increasing both access to and quality of care for those in tremendous need. With Healthy Blue, we are helping to transform Medicaid in North Carolina, and we won’t stop until health care is better for all.

boy giving a nurse a high-five

At Healthy Blue, we realize that while high-quality health care is crucial, up to 80 percent of a person’s health is determined by non-medical drivers of health, such as food, housing, transportation and trauma/resilience.4

Healthy Blue is addressing these drivers of health by:

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP

Arts & Culture

The arts enrich our lives beyond measure. They are the key to the health of any community. We’re proud to lend support to several visual and performing arts organizations in our home state. Learn more about one of our past Arts & Culture RFP recipients here.

A&T Nurse

Board Service

Blue Cross NC has passionate employees that are committed to serving our communities. Many of our company's officers serve on nonprofit boards of directors and committees across the state.

A&T Nurse

Extra Miles Tour

In 2021, we began a listening tour of all of North Carolina’s 100 counties. Blue Cross NC leaders visit hospitals, colleges, and other institutions and meet with local leaders to discuss community activism, policy and how Blue Cross NC can better work to meet each community’s needs. Track our progress at ExtraMilesTour.com.

A&T Nurse

Chambers of Commerce

We strategically align with Chambers of Commerce across the state that help promote economic development, build our corporate reputation and brand strength, and provide business value and employee networking opportunities.

A&T Nurse

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Making a difference is our passion. We find creative ways to channel our employees’ skills, zeal and dedication to maximize our impact on our communities.

GivingWorks

We raised more than $1.3M for more than 1,400 different nonprofit organizations during the company’s annual giving campaign, “GivingWorks."

With the company match, that totals more than $2.1M of direct impact to those organizations in a time when they need it most.5

Dollars for Doers

Our company offers a variety of sponsored volunteer events, and we know that many of our employees volunteer outside of these activities. Employees may volunteer with an Employee Network or team, serve on the board or committee of a local nonprofit or spend time outside of work volunteering as an individual or with family and friends.

Dollars for Doers is a Blue Cross NC employee engagement program that rewards employees for volunteering and submitting volunteer hours on their own. Employees can use their Volunteer Paid Time Off (VTO) to serve their communities, or they can volunteer on their own time. With so many of our employees working from home, this program provides flexibility and rewards employees for making a positive impact through volunteerism.

Each calendar year, employees who record a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 10 volunteer hours will be rewarded with a match of $10 per hour (maximum of $100) to go to the nonprofit of their choice.

Volunteer Events

Pro Bono: Skills-Based Volunteerism: Our pro bono efforts are opportunities for nonprofits to access high-quality support from our employee volunteers in the areas of marketing and communications, data collection and management, customer service and information technology. In 2021 we hosted three pro bono projects. Volunteers could engage with nonprofits via a two-day project, a longer 12-week effort and/or a new speed consulting program.


In 2021, more than 200 employees volunteered their time, contributing more than 3,000 volunteer hours to our communities.


USO Bike Build: We honor the sacrifices of our military families. Every year, our employees put together bicycles for children of military service members. Over 70 Blue Cross NC employees participated, building 150 new bikes for more than 80 military families.


KABOOM!: In May of 2022, nearly 100 Blue Cross NC employees volunteered to bring a new playspace to life at Burton Park in Durham. In partnership with KABOOM! and the City of Durham Parks and Recreation, we collaboratively built a playspace designed with input from the kids that will use the space. After roughly 800 volunteer hours, 285 yards of mulch, 200 bags of concrete, and many buckets of paint, we completed our 3rd build in Durham, and our 15th build statewide..

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION ENGAGEMENT

Diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) are woven into the fabric of all we do. People often feel most comfortable working with someone who shares or deeply understands their background, context and community. To help more North Carolinians get the coverage they need, we’re helping to build an insurance sales force that’s as diverse as the people we serve across our state.

We’re partnering with community colleges to fund scholarships for diverse candidates enrolling in insurance licensing programs, including students who belong to communities of color, are bilingual (English/Spanish), are women, have been displaced by COVID-19 and/or are graduating high school or college or looking for a new career.

Durham Tech and Central Piedmont schoools

Durham Technical Community College: We launched a five-year insurance career pathway partnership with scholarship opportunities. Students receive pre-licensing education, networking opportunities and resources for Life Insurance, Accident & Health/Sickness Insurance or Medicare Supplement/Long-Term Care/Estate Insurance.

Durham Tech and Central Piedmont schoools

Central Piedmont Community College: We are providing scholarships and additional resources and guidance for workplace success, including small business counseling and interview preparation, for 26 students per year for five years.

MEET THE TEAM

Community and Diversity Engagement

Cheryl Parquet

Director

Director Cheryl Parquet leads the Community & Diversity Engagement team, which builds brand strength and reinforces our commitment to improving health for all North Carolinians. The Community & Diversity Engagement team works with nonprofit organizations to identify funding opportunities, and volunteer opportunities for our employees, that positively impact drivers of health. We bring our purpose to life by collaborating with organizations; empowering employee volunteers; engaging diverse communities; and strengthening corporate and brand reputation to make a healthier North Carolina for all.

I'm passionate about service — life is about how you serve others.

Melissa Biediger
Senior Program Manager

• Employee Engagement
• Extra Miles Tour
• Behavioral Health

I’m passionate about the work we do with organizations serving small and rural communities with fewer resources.

Ronnie Parker
Program Manager

• DEI Community Engagement Lead for Commercial Markets
• Strengthen NC
• Multicultural Marketing Engagement

I’m passionate about listening to and addressing the needs of our most underserved and underprivileged communities.

Sophie McMillian
Senior Program Manager

• Board Service Engagement
• GivingWorks
• Strengthen NC

I’m passionate about unlocking the power of corporate resources to make North Carolina a healthier place.

Nicole Rogers
Senior Program Manager

• Employee Engagement
• Chamber Engagement
• Arts & Culture, Maternal & Infant Health

I’m passionate about serving as a bridge between our company and our communities to help our purpose come to life.

Mike Restaino
Principal Community Relations Advisor

• Corporate Citizenship Lead for Greater Charlotte Market

I’m passionate about supporting organizations that help our most vulnerable neighborhoods have better access to food.

David Shaw
Senior Program Manager

• Operational Excellence
• Employee Engagement
• Strengthen NC

I’m passionate about helping nonprofits fulfill their missions by enabling them to expand their reach or enhance their work. 

Leo Scarpati
Program Manager

• DEI Community Engagement Lead for Government Markets
• Multicultural Marketing Engagement

I’m passionate about connecting multicultural communities across North Carolina with organizations that can make a difference for them.

Elijah Evans
Program Manager Associate

• Employee Engagement Support
• GivingWorks Support
• Experiential Activation Support

I'm passionate about connecting corporate resources with organizations serving communities throughout the state of North Carolina every day.