
September is a special time at Independence Blue Cross – it marks our annual two-week campaign for the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. This is a time when our associates come together to positively impact our community by pledging their financial support and volunteering their time to help those who need it most. We are excited and proud to co-chair this year’s campaign, Give for a Better Community.
Why We Support the United Way’s Mission
For nearly 80 years, Independence Blue Cross (Independence) has been committed to fulfilling our mission of improving the health and wellness of the communities we serve. Independence associates live this mission every day in the work that they do. The call to help our fellow members of the community truly brings us together in the spirit of giving back. Likewise, the United Way has a rich tradition of giving people the help they need with essential social, educational, and health services. The power of the United Way lies in collective impact – together, we can achieve more for our neighbors and communities than any one of us could on our own. Through the generosity of our associates, we are able to help the United Way to improve lives of people in our region.
How We Are Making a Difference, Together
Our United Way campaign is an opportunity for the entire organization to come together to build a stronger community for our family, friends, and neighbors.
There is no denying the spirit of giving back is contagious at Independence. In addition to the many associates who pledge their financial support and volunteer their time, our efforts are supported by a core committee of associates throughout our organization and over 120 associates who volunteer as campaign ambassadors. These associates lend their time and talents to plan a fun campaign while championing the importance of giving back and encouraging their colleagues to get involved with the United Way.
Giving the Precious Gift of Time
Throughout the year, nearly 1,000 associates and family members volunteer as part of our Blue Crew corporate volunteer program. They selflessly donate their time to help local agencies, many of which are supported by the United Way.
Our culture of giving back is exemplified during the United Way Days of Caring. For two days, more than 250 associates volunteer their time and talents at 11 different projects throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. The organizations we’ll be helping this year are:
- Turning Points for Children
- Philadelphia Senior Center
- Share
- American Red Cross SEPA
- Vare-Washington School
- Project HOME
- Impact Thrift
- Cradles to Crayons
- AstraZeneca Hope Lodge
- MANNA
- Ronald McDonald House
Join Us in Giving Back
What’s your cause? Whether you want to help feed the hungry, give courage to those who are ill, or brighten the day of our elderly neighbors, there’s an organization that needs you. We hope that you are inspired by the efforts of our associates. Please join us in volunteering your time and giving back to the community:
- Visit. Check out the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey’s website to learn more about the many organizations that could use your support.
- Share. Help us spread the word about our United Way campaign through social media. Look for #ibxgives2016 to see what we’re up to. We encourage you to share any of our United Way posts to your own network of family and friends.
- Follow. You can also follow the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey on Facebook and Twitter.
Co-authored by Terry Booker
As Vice President of Corporate Development and Innovation at Independence Blue Cross (IBX), Terry Booker is responsible for growing IBC’s core businesses in commercial, individual, Medicare, and Medicaid business lines. In this capacity, he oversees IBC’s corporate growth through diversification efforts that include acquisitions, partnerships, affiliations, and development of new companies. In addition, Booker is charged with leading the Independence Center for Health Care Innovation which fosters a culture of human-centered innovation, generating new ideas to address the complex challenges facing health care by collaborating with thought leaders and best-in-class partners to put people first and revolutionize care.