UnitedHealthcare employees today delivered “Grins to Go” bags to children at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. The bags, filled with toys and activities, were created to bring smiles to children facing significant health challenges.
UnitedHealthcare's Diana Marsh (right) shows Brooklyn of New Britain, Conn., a stuffed animal named Chewie, one of the fun items that are included in a "Grins to Go" bag. Children from Connecticut Children's received "Grins to Go" bags at a Halloween party. UnitedHealthcare Hartford employees were among volunteers from more than a dozen UnitedHealthcare offices nationwide who delivered 400 "Grins to Go" bags to local children's hospitals and other youth-based organizations. The UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation provides medical grants that help children gain access to health-related services not covered, or not fully covered, by their parents' commercial health insurance plan (Photo: Alan Grant, Digital Creations).
UnitedHealthcare employees also delivered Halloween bags filled with healthy treats and handmade Halloween cards to the children at Connecticut Children’s. For the past several years, volunteers have worked with Connecticut Children’s to provide fun-filled bags to children in the hospital during the holidays.
The employees in Hartford were among those from more than a dozen UnitedHealthcare offices nationwide who delivered 400 “Grins to Go” bags to local children’s hospitals and other youth-based organizations.
“We thank UnitedHealthcare for bringing a bit of sunshine to our children with these wonderful gift bags,” said Martha Schall, president, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Foundation. “It is through efforts like UnitedHealthcare’s and others in the community that we are able to help children be children even when they need to be in the hospital.”
The “Grins to Go” bags are boredom-busting bags of toys and activities to inspire any child, whether in a hospital, a waiting room or long car ride. Proceeds from the bags fund UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF) medical grants that help children gain access to health-related services not covered, or not fully covered, by their parents’ commercial health insurance plan.
“UnitedHealthcare is grateful for the opportunity to offer inspiration and some laughs for children who are bravely battling their health challenges,” said Donna O’Shea, M.D., UnitedHealthcare’s national medical director of clinical program development, and Connecticut Children’s advisory board member.
Last year, UnitedHealthcare provided a $1 million grant for Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health (OCCH). The grant helped Connecticut Children’s enhance care delivery and address critical public health issues that affect children including child development, wellness, and chronic conditions such as asthma and obesity.
About Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
Connecticut
Children’s Medical Center is a nationally recognized, 187-bed
not-for-profit children’s hospital serving as the primary teaching
hospital for the Department of Pediatrics at the University of
Connecticut School of Medicine. Named among the best in the nation for
several of its pediatric specialties in the annual U.S. News & World
Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” rankings, Connecticut Children’s is
the only free-standing children’s hospital in Connecticut that offers
comprehensive, world-class health care to children. Our pediatric
services are available at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in
Hartford and at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury, with neonatal
intensive care units at Hartford Hospital and the University of
Connecticut Health Center, along with five specialty care centers and 10
other locations across the state. Connecticut Children’s has a medical
staff of nearly 1,100 practicing in more than 30 specialties.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare
is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by
simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and
wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care
providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit
programs for individuals, employers, active and retired military and
their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts
directly with more than 800,000 physicians and care professionals, and
6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. Globally,
UnitedHealthcare serves 45 million people in health benefits and is one
of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified
Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more information, visit
UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com
or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
About UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation
The
UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF) is a 501(c)(3) charitable
organization that provides medical grants to help children gain access
to health-related services not covered, or not fully covered, by their
parents’ commercial health insurance plan. Families can receive up to
$5,000 annually per child ($10,000 lifetime maximum per child), and do
not need to have insurance through UnitedHealthcare to be
eligible. UHCCF was founded in 1999. Since 2007, UHCCF has awarded more
than 8,500 grants valued at over $26 million to children and their
families across the United States. UHCCF’s funding is provided by
contributions from individuals, corporations and UnitedHealth Group
(NYSE: UNH) employees. To apply, donate or learn more, please visit www.UHCCF.org.
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Contacts:
Maria Gordon Shydlo, 914-933-4613
maria_g_shydlo@uhc.com
