BCBSM Foundation offer grant opportunities to advance health efforts

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation met with tri-county mayors Thursday in regards to grant opportunities.

The foundation is on a mission with a few goals in mind.

“Our goal here is to work with our mayors here in Mississippi to offer opportunities for them to apply for the Healthy Hometown award offered by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Mississippi Foundation as well as other grant opportunities; to advance health and wellness across Mississippi," said Executive Director of Blue Cross Blue Shield Mississippi Foundation.

The healthy hometown program encourages and rewards municipalities for their efforts to make hometowns and ultimately the entire state healthier.

"The application has a focus on several areas. Including adopting comprehensive smoke free ordinances, offering healthy options in restaurants and convenient stores for dining and also for opportunities for exercise,"

The foundation has worked with cities across the state to award grants with two different awards.

“The top honor in Mississippi is to be named healthiest hometown in Mississippi and that city will receive a fifty thousand dollar grant. And then we award up to three municipalities lol regarding weather they are small, medium or large municipalities an award of twenty five thousand dollars each,”

Hattiesburg will be responsible for bringing together a committee focused on health and wellness.

“The application itself will walk that committee, through the process of steps they can take to make their hometown healthier,”

If the city earns the grant, the money has to be used towards the development of a healthier hometown.