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Press Release

Independence Blue Cross Honors Martin Luther King Jr. with Day of Service

Philadelphia, PA - January 12, 2007 - Independence Blue Cross’s corporate volunteer program, the Blue Crew, will put together more than 2,000 emergency disaster kits with face masks, biohazard bags, can openers, bottled water, and other items at the Martin Luther King High School in Philadelphia to mark the 12th annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service on Monday, January 15.

Independence Blue Cross is a sponsor of the 2007 Day of Service.

Nearly 65 Blue Crew members will join a record-breaking 55,000 volunteers throughout the tri-state region to make it “a day on, not a day off” at more than 600 service project locations this year.

“Independence Blue Cross is deeply dedicated to strengthening our community,” said Joseph A. Frick, IBC president and CEO. “Having hundreds of our associates join the Day of Service to improve our community is a fitting way to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.”

The Blue Crew will be participating at the Day of Service on three projects in Philadelphia:

  • Martin Luther King High School, 6100 Stenton Avenue in Philadelphia. The Blue Crew will assembly 2,000 emergency disaster kits that contain items such as face masks, radios, can openers, and bottled water, that will be distributed throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.
  • Wissahickon Boys & Girls Club, 382 West Coulter Street in Philadelphia. Volunteers will paint the gymnasium, dining area, library, and daycare room to help the Wissahickon Boys & Girls Club, the first club in the nation to serve the African American community, to further promote and enhances youth development by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness and belonging.
  • MANNA, 12 S. 23rd Street in Philadelphia. Blue Crew volunteers will prepare, cook, and package meals for low-income AIDS patients in the Greater Philadelphia region.

The Blue Crew Corporate Volunteer Program is a comprehensive outreach program that strengthens Independence Blue Cross’s role as a leader in community service by connecting employees, their families, and retirees in varied service projects that contribute to the well-being of the community. In 2006, nearly 2,000 Blue Crew volunteers donated about 7,000 hours of community service by supporting more than 100 projects in the southeastern Pennsylvania region. The events included both one-time and ongoing activities.

The Martin Luther King Day of Service celebrates Dr. King by transforming the federal holiday into a day of active citizenship. The Blue Crew are among the 55,000 volunteers in the region who are taking part in more than 600 service projects to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Philadelphia is expected to have the largest event in the nation for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.

Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, IBC and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.4 million people. For nearly 70 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered quality health care products and services tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, groups and providers.

Independence Blue Cross recently received the highest ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for its HMO and PPO health care plans. In addition, in 2005, Independence Blue Cross’s Personal Choice was rated the No. 1 PPO in the nation and its Keystone HMO was ranked the No. 1 HMO in the region by health care consumers in a leading independent consumer magazine.