Donor Spotlight: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Every day, CASA’s volunteer advocates are deeply committed to ensuring that victimized children are receiving the emotional and physical resources they need to thrive. We are grateful that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield recognizes CASA’s critical role in the health and wellbeing of children and has been a partner in this mission for nearly 20 years.

Through Anthem’s long history of supporting CASA, they have provided significant financial and volunteer backing. They have generously donated nearly $75,000 in sponsorship funding, subsequently impacting the lives of hundreds of children. Anthem associates have also served and continue to serve as CASA volunteer advocates and members of CASA’s board of directors, dedicating their time, talent and treasure as leaders of the organization.

Lisa Guertin, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire, notes that Anthem has been a strong proponent of CASA’s vision for nearly 20 years because of CASA’s critical need in the community.

“The state’s opioid crisis is having a deep impact on the next generation, and we need to ensure New Hampshire kids have a fighting chance for a stable, loving home life so they can grow up to be healthy, happy adults. This is what it’s all about for us at Anthem: making a difference in the lives of the people in the communities we serve. And CASA’s work is doing just that.”

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is profoundly dedicated to giving back to the community.

We believe that giving back is not only a privilege, it’s a responsibility,” says Stephanie DuBois, Director of Public Relations. “We take pride in giving back to our communities and make it a cornerstone of our business practices.”

CASA’s board of directors has welcomed several Anthem representatives in recent years, including Maria Proulx (Regional Vice President of Sales), Denise McDonough (now President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine), and currently Michael Burns, New Hampshire sales account executive, who is tremendously dedicated to the organization’s mission.

“As the father of six children and a recent foster parent, serving on CASA’s Board of Directors affords me the opportunity to stand up for a child who has no voice, who did not ask to be abused and who deserves the right to be loved and protected,” Michael says. “I’m proud to support CASA’s mission and give back to my community.”

And it’s not just CASA. In 2019 alone, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire and its philanthropic arm, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, invested more than $1.4 million in New Hampshire in efforts to improve overall health by addressing critical issues facing Granite Staters, such as food insecurity and the impacts of the opioid abuse crisis.

Anthem’s collaborations with local nonprofits also support other health initiatives such as cancer prevention, prenatal care, heart health, physical activity, and addressing social determinants of health. Anthem associates donate hundreds of volunteer hours and thousands of dollars in personal contributions every year to directly assist nonprofits in strengthening the New Hampshire communities where they live and work. Their volunteer and charitable giving programs have included Anthem associates packing 500 bags of nonperishable foods to support Blessings in a Backpack’s mission to provide weekend food for elementary school children, sponsoring The Farnum Center/EasterSeals NH’s “Sprit of Hope” event to raise awareness about substance misuse disorders, and supporting the Manchester Police Athletic League’s Footrace for the Fallen 5K as the presenting sponsor.

Additionally, Anthem’s “Dollars for Doers” program provides employees with financial rewards they can direct to eligible nonprofit organizations in exchange for their volunteer hours. In 2019, Stephanie says, Anthem associates in New Hampshire donated more than 1,300 hours of their time at a value of nearly $34,000. In another initiative, “Dollars for Dollars,” Anthem matches contributions to a number of health-related nonprofits, dollar for dollar, up to an annual maximum match of $5,000. According to Stephanie, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire consistently ranks highest among all Anthem affiliates in the percentage of associates (30 percent) who donate to local charities.

Thank you to Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield for your visionary support of New Hampshire’s children!