My Possibilities receives Healthy Kids, Healthy Families grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Award will fund the Health and Wellness Program
Jan. 7, 2020 – Plano, TX – My Possibilities announced it was awarded a Healthy Kids, Healthy Families® (HKHF) grant by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX). The HKHF funding will support BCBSTX’s commitment to community-based organizations supporting children and families who have been impacted by the health, economic, and social implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo taken before the COVID-19 pandemic
The My Possibilities (MP) Health and Wellness program engages adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in holistic programming designed to improve their overall health and wellness via targeted activities in health education, increased physical activity, and wellness.
My Possibilities’ Hugely Important People, affectionately known as HIPsters, are often marginalized in the areas of health and wellness due to low economic status, few facilities with adaptive equipment and staff trained to serve them, and transportation barriers that make it difficult to engage in the community. As a result, they are disproportionately affected by conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, heart disease, and obesity.
Photo taken before the COVID-19 pandemic
Through the Healthy Kids, Healthy Families initiative the MP Health and Wellness Program seeks to turn the tide for HIPsters and their families by educating and engaging them in programming that puts them on a healthier path, making every day count.
“Partners like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas are essential to furthering our mission and bettering the lives of our HIPsters,” said Michael Thomas, executive director for My Possibilities. “This $50,000 grant will help us launch our Healthy Lifestyles curriculum, integrating health and fitness activities into daily practice. It will also support the MP Clinic, making it a resource for information and advice on healthy lifestyle practices, including nutrition and physical activity. The nurse will collaborate with our MP in Motion Program and health education class instructors to develop strategies that motivate HIPsters to make healthier food choices and exercise consistently.”
Launched in 2011, HKHF started as a three-year project designed to improve the health and wellness of at least one million children through community investments. The program was extended as BCBSTX’s ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of children and families across Texas.
“This year’s grant process was especially important given the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sheena Payne, BCBSTX’s director of Community Investments. “So, we are happy to award these grants that will support and nurture meaningful and transformational projects across Texas. Strategically, it is also important that we continue to aid community-based organizations that are directly supporting children and families who have been impacted by the health, economic, and social implications of this pandemic.”
The HKHF program – which centers on nutrition, physical activity, disease prevention and management and supporting safe environments – has awarded $14 million in funding and impacted the lives of close to three million children and their families in Texas.
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About My Possibilities: My Possibilities is a North Texas for-cause 501(c)(3) organization that serves as a pioneering leader in vocational education for adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities throughout North Texas. To learn more, visit mypossibilities.org.
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