Past Programs

Community Innovation Grants

Community innovation grants supported pilot projects that pursued innovative approaches to health-focused challenges in the community. Projects approached an existing community need in a new way.

Community Innovation Grant recipients

• Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired
• Center in the Park
• Drexel University
• Hoplite Resilience Center, Inc.
• Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations
• Simon’s Heart
• The Food Trust
• The Wistar Institute
• Valley Youth House Committee

Building Healthier Communities

Building Healthier Communities supported programs and projects that positively impacted the health and wellness of the community through education, fitness, awareness, technology, and research.

Through this initiative, the IBC Foundation awarded funding to over 100 nonprofits serving the needs of diverse populations in southeastern Pennsylvania since 2012.

Building Healthier Communities Grant Recipients 2012 — 2018

• 9th Street Youth and Community Center
• American Heart Association
• Associated Services for the Blind
• Association for Adults with Developmental Disabilities
• Athlete Health Organization
• Back on My Feet
• Bhutanese American Organization
• Boy Scouts of America
• Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia
• CATCH
• Center for Grieving Children
• Center in the Park, Inc.
• Central Bucks YMCA
• Child and Family Connections, Inc.
• Christ Church Preservation Trust
• Covenant House Pennsylvania
• Cradles to Crayons, Inc.
• Cranaleith Spiritual Center
• Faith in the Future Foundation, Inc.
• Family Support Line
• Free Clinic Association of Pennsylvania
• Gay Community Center of Philadelphia (William Way LGBT Community Center)
• Gearing Up- A Non-Profit Corporations
• Girls Inc., of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
• Girls on the Run
• Good Samaritan Shelter
• Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition
• Green Tree School
• Healthy NewsWorks
• Hedwig House, Inc.
• Historic Fair Hill
• Intercommunity Action Incorporated
• Jewish Relief Agency
• LaSalle University Neighborhood Nursing Center
• Legal Clinic for the Disabled
• Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer
• Looking Ahead
• Lupus Foundation of America
• Malvern Retreat House
• MANNA
• Maternity Care Coalition
• Mayor's Fund for Philadelphia, Inc.
• Meals on Wheels of Chester County
• Menzfit
• Mercy Neighborhood Ministries of Philadelphia
• Mercy Vocational High School Sisters of Mercy
• Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance (MANNA)
• Michael P. Donatucci Foundation, Inc.
• Mighty Writers
• National Center For Family Recovery
• Nationalities Service Center of Philadelphia
• Northern Children's Services
• Pathways to Housing PA
• Penn Asian Senior Services, Inc.
• Penn's Village
• Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
• Peoples Emergency Center
• Peter's Place
• Philabundance
• Philadelphia City Rowing
• Philadelphia Youth Basketball
• Philly Girls in Motion
• Philly Play
• Playworks Education Energized
• Police Athletic League of Norristown
• Providence Center
• Ralston Center
• Resources for Human Development: Healthy NewsWorks
• Saunders House
• Shriners Hospital for Children
• Smith Memorial Playgrounds
• Snider Hockey
• Speak Up!
• Special People in Northeast, Inc. (SPIN, Inc.)
• Street Soccer USA, Inc.
• Supportive Older Women's Network
• The Enterprise Center Community Development
• The Evoluer House
• The Parkesburg POINT Youth Center
• The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
• The Veterans Group
• Transformation Yoga Project
• Travis Manion Foundation
• Tree House Books
• Turning Points for Children
• ULiftU
• University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
• Veteran's Multi-Service Center of Philadelphia
• Vetri Foundation for Children
• West Chester Area YMCA
• William Way LGBT Community Center
• Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR)
• YMCA Greater Brandywine
• YWCA of Bucks County
• Youth Mentoring Partnership

Healthy Hearts

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation Healthy Hearts initiative supported prevention strategies that addressed cardiovascular disparities in underserved populations in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

To improve survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest and detection of conditions that lead to sudden cardiac arrest, the Healthy Hearts initiative funded programs that increased access to free CPR and AED education/training and free heart screenings for children.

Our partners

• Mobile CPR Project — Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania: The Mobile CPR Project aims to increase survival from sudden cardiac arrest through free CPR education and training of community members to recognize and respond to a cardiac arrest.
• CPR Ready Campaign — Philadelphia Regional CPR Awareness Coalition: This campaign was designed to increase the number of people in the region who are qualified and willing to perform bystander, hands-only CPR, as well as use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
• Simon’s Fund: This organization provides free heart screenings to children, advocates for life-saving legislation, hosts awareness events, and promotes research. Its mission is to save a child's life and then another, by raising awareness of conditions that lead to sudden cardiac arrest and death.

Healthy Futures Initiative

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation Healthy Futures Initiative (Healthy Futures) was a three-year program and research study aimed at improving childhood health and wellness.

IBC Foundation partnered with 25 elementary schools throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania to teach 1,000 students and their families how to "Eat Right," "Get Fit," and "Stay Well." Regional and national experts in childhood wellness provided tools and resources to empower healthy habits.

Throughout this initiative, the IBC Foundation worked with Drexel University Department of Nutrition Sciences to perform a health study on students in the Philadelphia area. The purpose of the study was to compare the data of students in the Greater Philadelphia area to regional and national standards.

Health Futures Resources

• Healthy Futures Schools
• Tips for Creating Healthy Habits for your Family