Arizona Taking Action

Association of Arizona Food Banks

2016-02-04

Established in 1984, the Association of Arizona Food Banks (AAFB) is a private, non-profit organization serving five regional food bank members and a network of nearly 1,200 food pantries and agencies.

AAFB is one of the first state associations in the nation and an inaugural partner state association of Feeding America. AAFB was instrumental in the development of a statewide gleaning project, and our advocacy efforts have brought about beneficial state and federal legislation for our member food banks and the people they serve.

AAFB develops food resources, promotes nutrition, advocates for public policy changes to help hungry people, fosters cooperation among food banks, networks with government, local, state and national leaders dedicated to ending hunger, and engages all sectors of society in hunger awareness and sensitivity.

AAFB is not a food bank — we help make food banking better.

Visit Website

Fresh Express

2016-02-04

A retired city bus, now known as the Fresh Express, has been given new life as a mobile produce market, traveling to underserved neighborhoods to sell fresh, affordable fruits and vegetables.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona is one of several area businesses that are partnering with the Discovery Triangle Development Corporation to launch this new mobile food initiative.

Discovery Triangle is a redevelopment initiative that focuses on a 25-square-mile region in the urban cores of Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona. This area is considered a "food desert" because of the limited access to grocery stores. The retrofitted bus is traveling to schools, senior centers, parks, churches and other community gathering places located in the Discovery Triangle to provide access to fresh, affordable produce.

Providing this mobile option is of huge value as many of these metro residents in the area are dependent on public transportation to reach grocery stores. With Fresh Express, residents now have the ability to purchase fruits and vegetables at convenient, nearby locations. To further assist area residents produce will be sold at cost. Residents will also be able to pay with cash, debit/credit and even SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps).

Fresh express will also feature on-board health resources such as nutrition education, healthy food demonstrations, and health screenings provided by Arizona State University nursing undergraduate students, under the supervision of nursing faculty. Health screenings will include blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory measurements.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona is dedicated to keeping our communities healthy and strong. Support for initiatives like Fresh Express not only provides underserved members of the community convenient access to fresh produce but it also will help empower them to make healthier choices for lifelong health and wellness.

Visit Website

Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council

2016-02-17

Girl Scouts is the largest organization for girls in the world, with the best leadership experiences and programs available. In Arizona, Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) serves more than 23,000 girls in grades K-12 with the help of more than 10,000 adult volunteers.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), has worked with Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council to develop a special patch for girls to earn that focuses on healthy living. The patch – available to all local Girl Scouts, from Daisies to Ambassadors – teaches the girls about several important aspects of wellness, including fitness, community, friendship, career and general health.

The All About Healthy Living patch is a one-of-a-kind collaboration that was unveiled during GSACPC's World Thinking Day event on Saturday, Feb. 20. This patch program is the most comprehensive of its kind, providing progressive, age-appropriate, hands-on learning opportunities for girls from K to 12. It also incorporates a spectrum of activities focusing on key aspects of wellness in collaboration with more than 70 local community organizations around the state.

Visit Website

Meet Me Downtown

2016-06-21

Established in 2014, it is the mission of “Meet Me Downtown” to bring people of all ages to downtown Phoenix for a weekly social walk/run, engaging individuals and businesses in a vibrant event that showcases downtown Phoenix as a prime location for healt

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona sponsors “Meet Me Downtown” as part of our support for the city’s FitPHX program. Together with the City of Phoenix and Downtown Phoenix, Inc we’re all working toward the goal of improving health and wellness and making Phoenix one of the healthiest cities in the region.

Watch Video Visit Website

United Way

2016-02-04

Hunger Recap: Picture your street, or a row of homes in a nearby neighborhood. Do you know which families have a meal on their table three times a day? On average, one in 20 households hide growling stomachs.

On any given day in Maricopa County, 82,000 households struggle with chronic hunger, which means they may not know where their next meal is coming from. Valley of the Sun United Way is working to meet the need for daily meals, while at the same time create the systemic change that will end hunger completely.

By increasing access to free and reduced school and summer meals, meal distribution to seniors and participation in expectant mother nutritional programs, we can positively impact individual lives and our entire community.

Visit Website