Humana, one of Louisiana’s leading health benefits companies, awarded a $100,000 grant in its 2008 Louisiana Benefits charitable giving program on Oct. 16 to Odyssey House Louisiana of New Orleans.
The nonprofit behavioral health provider plans to use its one-time $100,000 Louisiana Benefits grant for expansion of its free community medical clinic in New Orleans so that it can provide affordable health care to more in the community.
With the expansion, the clinic will have two more examination rooms; one psychiatric exam room; an additional bathroom for patients; and, an administrative area for clinic staff.
For the second consecutive year, Humana’s Louisiana Benefits awarded a one-time, $100,000 signature grant to a nonprofit organization based in Louisiana that is doing valuable work to benefit the people who live in the state. Louisiana Benefits supports charitable organizations that are focused on improving health experiences or building healthy communities in the areas of mind, body or spirit.
Nearly 50 New Orleans business, civic and nonprofit leaders attended Humana’s 2008 Louisiana Benefits grant celebration event Oct. 16 at the Audubon Tea Room in New Orleans. Humana this fall received more than 70 applications from Louisiana nonprofit groups and charitable organizations seeking the $100,000 grant.
A diverse panel of local judges, comprised of community leaders, public officials and business representatives, worked with Humana to select the 2008 $100,000 grant recipient in Louisiana Benefits.
“We’re very pleased to present this year’s Louisiana Benefits grant to Odyssey House Louisiana, and know that their community medical clinic expansion will have a major impact on the health of the people they help every day in New Orleans,” said Humana Southern Division Vice President of Medicare Operations George Renaudin.
“This program is playing a significant role in promoting healthy lives and healthy communities for people in Louisiana,” said Humana Louisiana Commercial Market President Jamie Schlottman. “Since its start in 2005, when we were able to redirect funds to hurricane recovery efforts, to today, when we are extending the reach of an area nonprofit, Louisiana Benefits has been helping people day to day.”
“We could not be more appreciative of Humana and its Louisiana Benefits grant opportunity,” said Edward Carlson, chief executive officer of Odyssey House Louisiana. “This grant will truly have a positive impact on our client population and the community we serve by allowing us to offer premier medical services to those who need them most.”
Humana also awarded smaller grants on Oct. 16, recognizing the community efforts of the other 2008 Louisiana Benefits finalists, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge, and Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans. Junior Achievement received a check for $15,000, and Humana presented Boys & Girls Club with a check for $5,000.
About the 2008 Humana Louisiana Benefits finalists
Odyssey House Louisiana is a New Orleans-based nonprofit behavioral health care provider with an emphasis on addiction treatment. Odyssey House was established in 1973 as a nonprofit residential substance abuse treatment facility with the mission of empowering people to conquer addiction.
Today, Odyssey House offers a professional, structured and caring therapeutic community with comprehensive services and effective support systems that enable individuals to chart new lives and return to their communities as contributing members.
For more information, go to www.ohlinc.org.
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge began in 1980 with a dream of local community and business leaders to provide a safe, positive place for youth that would have significant impact upon their lives. Today, the organization has grown to one with a more than $2 million budget, serving thousands of children annually.
Known as “the positive place for kids,” the Club provides guidance-oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children six to 18 years old, conducted by professional staff. Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development, education and career exploration, financial literacy, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation, and family outreach.
For more information, visit www.BRClubs.org.
Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans is a leading financial education provider, reaching students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Founded in 1955 by businessman and philanthropist Percival Stern, Junior Achievement has taught nearly half a million young people in the New Orleans community about business and entrepreneurship, linking classroom learning to life in the real world.
Junior Achievement serves young people in 12 parishes in the Greater New Orleans area. In the current school year, Junior Achievement reached nearly 22,000 students.
For more on Junior Achievement, go online to www.jagno.org.
About Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana, Inc.
Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana is one of the largest health benefits plans in the New Orleans market and the third largest in the state of Louisiana with approximately 175,000 commercial medical members and more than 125,000 Medicare members.
About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 11.5 million medical members. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplementary benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals.
Over its 47-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s Web site at www.humana.com.
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