Blue Cross Foundation Awards $660,000 in Grants to Improve Commun...( EAGAN Minn. Dec. 12 /- The Blue Cross...),Health

EAGAN, Minn., Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation recently awarded $450,000 in grants under two initiatives focused on improving health in Minnesota -- $240,000 under the Foundation's Growing Up Healthy: Kids and Communities initiative and $210,000 for the Healthy Together: Creating Community with New Americans initiative. An additional $210,000 was awarded to grantees working on public awareness and policy support for social, environmental and economic conditions that promote health.

Growing Up Healthy, nurtures the healthy growth and development of children under age five by supporting partnerships that connect children's health with early childhood development opportunities, safe and affordable housing and the environment. Healthy Together is a statewide grants program that addresses the mental health, social adjustment and integration of immigrants and refugees.

"We are committed to these "upstream" community-focused programs that improve health for the long-term, particularly in these challenging times," said Joan Cleary, foundation vice president.

Recent grants include:

Growing Up Healthy: Kids and Communities

Indigenous Environmental Network, Bemidji, Minn., $60,000 for the Ojibwe Seventh Generation Guardianship project on the Leech Lake reservation, teaching young children about the importance of nutritious wild foods, traditional language and culture.

Native American Community Clinic, Minneapolis, $60,000 for the Healthy Homes -- Healthy Kids project to improve the quality of low-income rental property housing in the Phillips neighborhood, reducing childhood illness by reducing exposures to environmental toxicants -- in partnership with Preventing Harm Minnesota.

White Earth Land Recovery Project, Callaway, Minn., $60,000 for the Farm to School project on the White Earth Reservation, protecti
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