Civic Engagement

At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, we are proud to support our associates who give their time and talent to create better neighborhoods in the communities we serve. Through our volunteer corps — known as the BlueCrew — associates receive paid time off to volunteer during regularly scheduled work hours. Buoyed by our 75-year legacy of community partnership and support, the BlueCrew continues to be a hallmark of our commitment to the health of our communities. In 2011, 86 percent of our 3,400 colleagues participated in 161 service projects, contributing 25,156 volunteer hours. These hours represent a monetary contribution of $750,456. A few of our corporate sponsored volunteer programs follow:

Education Initiatives: Mentoring Programs
In 2011, 67 associates supported students throughout Boston and the South Shore at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, Fenway High School, North Quincy High School, Parker Elementary School (through the Big Sister Association), South Shore Stars, and Quincy Asian Resources, Inc. Not only do these mentoring and tutoring programs provide participating students with invaluable educational support, but they also provide our associates with the opportunity to develop professionally while contributing to the company's leadership role in the community.

Professional Mentoring Partnerships
Acknowledging that our associates' talents are among our greatest strengths, the company launched a skills-based volunteer initiative, Professional Mentoring Partnerships, to deploy this human capital more strategically in the social sector. Over a three to five month period, associates address a specific challenge that a selected non-profit organization faces. The projects are designed to maximize the impact of our associates' unique skill sets on an issue that is critical to the participating nonprofit's growth.

Service Day: One Community. One Blue.
Powered by BlueCrew, the company's Service Day campaign promotes associates coming together on a single day in common purpose and shared vision to make a difference for communities across Massachusetts. While the company remains open for business, close to 3,000 associates volunteer together in service projects from Monson to Plymouth. In 2011, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts associates contributed more than 16,000 volunteer hours on Service Day — surpassing the total number of hours BlueCrew volunteers contributed in all of 2010. Our 2012 Service Day is scheduled for Tuesday, September 25, 2012.

William C. Van Faasen Community Service Sabbatical Program
In 2005, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' Board of Directors created a sabbatical program to honor our former CEO, Bill Van Faasen. The William C. Van Faasen Community Service Sabbatical Program allows one associate per year a leave of absence to work full-time for a non-profit organization for a period of three to six months. Sabbatical recipients engage in projects that create long-lasting change within the community. Throughout the leave period, the Sabbatical associate's regular base pay continues with no interruption in benefits.

To find out how BlueCrew can support your organization, please email BlueCrew@bcbsma.com.