Honoring America’s Heroes at the Medal of Honor Grove

Blue Crew volunteers sprucing up the grounds at the Medal of Honor Grove
Blue Crew volunteers helping to spruce up the Medal of Honor Grove. There are approximately 30 million military veterans in the United States, and that number keeps growing every day! The IVets, Independence Blue Cross’s associate resource group for veterans, includes many men and women who have served on behalf of American citizens....
Read More

Veterans in the Workplace: The Power of Support

Melanie Martin and I-Ride participants
Melanie Martin (center) and I-Ride participants. After graduating college, I took a job as a retail store manager, but I quickly realized that I was looking for something more. While it was fun, it didn’t bring me the joy and feeling of accomplishment that I wanted. One day I heard the “Be All You Can Be” slogan on a radio advertisement for the U.S....
Read More

Volunteers Play a Pivotal Role During Races

Heather Falck and others at a recent Blue Cross Broad Street Run. As an associate at Independence Blue Cross and a lifelong runner, I’m fortunate to have unique opportunities to join the Independence Blue Streaks running club and volunteer with the Independence Blue Crew. If I’m not running a race, I try to be a race volunteer....
Read More

Coming Together by Volunteering as a Family at The Kidney Walk

Briana and the Cunninghams, posing while volunteering at the Kidney Walk.
Briana and her family pose for a picture with Rocky Bluewinkle while volunteering at the Wilmington Kidney Walk hosted by the National Kidney Foundation Growing up, my family taught me the importance of giving back, and it always stuck with me. So, when I started working at Independence Blue Cross last February,...
Read More

Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House: Serving Comfort, Hope, and Nourishment

Blue Crew volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House
Members of the Blue Crew, volunteering at the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House A home-cooked meal can provide comfort to anyone facing a stressful situation. For a family with a seriously ill child, it can be a lifesaver. As the Director of Marketing & Communications at the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, I have seen how a good home-cooked meal can light up the faces of these families during difficult times....
Read More

Volunteering is the Ultimate Team Builder

A group of Independence Blue Cross Blue Crew volunteers
Members of the Independence Blue Cross Blue Crew, volunteering at Saint John’s Hospice. One of the things I love most about working at Independence Blue Cross is our company’s culture of giving back to the community. So when the Human Resources division was looking for a team-building opportunity, I suggested volunteering together — it’s the ultimate team builder....
Read More

Strengthening Family Bonds Through Volunteering

Deanne Riley-Giddins and her daughter, painting at a volunteer event
Deanne Riley-Giddins (right) and her daughter, painting a mural at Kensington High School during the Martin Luther King Day of Service. Over the last few years, I discovered that one of my favorite things to do is volunteer. My journey as a volunteer started with the Blue Crew in 2016. At first,...
Read More

Volunteering is Awesome: Pass It on to Others

A group of volunteers at Habitat for Humanity's ReStore
For me, MLK Day is not just a holiday to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., it is also a reminder to us all that serving our community is the best gift that we can give to those in need. In honor of MLK Day, I challenge everyone to take some time to give back to their community — volunteering is such a rewarding experience....
Read More

Give Back This New Year: How Volunteerism Has Made a Difference in My Life

My Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Little, Jordyn, shares a few smiles and laughs with me at our 2018 end-of-year celebration. For the past six years, I have developed a passion for giving back to the community. I believe it’s a great way to bring people together. That’s why I wanted to share my experiences with a few organizations that mean so much to me....
Read More

Mentoring Matters: Setting Up Youth for Success

A woman from the Blue Crew reads to a young girl.
January is National Mentoring Month, which recognizes the importance of mentoring youth to help them reach their potential. It is also an opportunity to celebrate volunteer mentors and mentees, each of whom invest significant time and effort to cultivate meaningful relationships. Our Blue Crew volunteers have embraced one-on-one mentoring as a means of making a positive impact in the lives of young people and the community at large....
Read More