WellPoint Associates Pledge Record Amount to Community Organizatio...( INDIANAPOLIS Dec. 11 /- WellPoint Inc...),Health

INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP), today announced that associates nationwide pledged more than $16 million to support not-for-profit organizations around the country in 2009. The WellPoint Foundation, LLC, will match 50 percent of associate pledges, increasing the total to more than $24 million.

"Every day our associates work to bring value to the health care system and our health plans' members. The generosity shown during this year's associate giving campaign is truly remarkable," said Angela Braly, president and chief executive officer of WellPoint, Inc. "In these challenging economic times, our associates continued to exceed all expectations and surpassed our company-wide goal."

The funds pledged will help nearly 10,000 not-for-profit organizations fulfill their missions.

"As the reality of our economic times hits home, the thousands of charitable organizations we support will need our help more than ever," Braly said. "I am honored by the incredible generosity our associates showed and am touched at how our associates are living out the mission of the organization in everyday ways."

In addition to the associate giving campaign, the WellPoint Foundation and its affiliated foundations provide grants to support efforts to reduce the number of uninsured and to encourage a multigenerational approach to improving public health.

During 2008, the foundations expect to grant more than $28 million to numerous programs across the country. Examples of the many ways in which the WellPoint Foundation supports its communities are with grants such as the one to help reduce the number of uninsured across the country. The WellPoint Foundation provided a $2.5 million grant to The CoverMe Foundation. The WellPoint Foundation also provided a grant to the American
'/>"/>