Hartford Business Journal

G I V I N G G U I D E 2016 SUPPORTING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES H arvard Pilgrim Health Care — serving members in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire — is committed to improving the health of the communities we serve. We are proud to extend the work of the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation — and the collective community engagement of our 1360 employees — to benefit Hartford and other areas of the state. Harvard Pilgrim is engaging our members, employer customers, providers and our communities to help individuals and families eat healthier. The Foundation has been active in funding initiatives to bring fresh, healthy and local produce to inner city residents through a mobile farmers' market, community gardens, and wellness programs. The Foundation also enlists the support of Harvard Pilgrim volunteers to serve our local communities by working with local partners on service days in the Hartford area. And, our mini-grant program enables each of our employees to direct $500 annually to a local charity of their choice, in memory of Harvard Pilgrim members who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. As a company, we have also made inclusion a strategic business initiative, one in which we value differences. As our presence continues to grow in Connecticut, we've enjoyed working with several Hartford-area agencies and we look forward to building on these relationships to help improve the health of the entire Hartford community. Eric H. Schultz President and CEO, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Board Chair, Harvard Pilgrim Foundation UNIQUELY-SUITED TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY T his year, our United Way is proud to celebrate 25 years of partnering with local workplaces to mobilize the volunteer power of their employees through United Way Year of Caring. What started as Day of Caring with employees from a dozen companies and 430 volunteers has now grown to nearly 50 companies and more than 4,000 individuals and counting. United Way Year of Caring volunteers are currently focused on helping children succeed in school, ensuring families become more financially secure, and providing access to immediate emergency assistance for those in need. Projects include reading with children, preparing and serving meals at local shelters, and assisting with community cleanup projects at schools and parks. We are grateful for the support of our workplace partners and their employees. Still, there is much work to be done. In each of the 40 towns our United Way serves, hard-working families struggle to make ends meet. Some parents are doubtful they'll be able to afford a healthy meal for their children each night or be able to pay the next utility bill. Many children, who are never immune to the financial hardships of their households, are unable to reap the benefits of quality early-childhood education opportunities due to their high costs. Too many families are forced to make difficult decisions, sacrificing one need to afford another. These households are ALICE, a United Way acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. According to a 2016 report from Connecticut United Ways, ALICE and Poverty households comprise 38% of all households in the state. Our United Way focuses on bringing together businesses and nonprofits to improve lives for ALICE households because, together, we form a partnership uniquely-suited to help children, youth and families succeed. We thank Hartford Business Journal and our fellow Giving Guide sponsors (Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care) for demonstrating the importance of for-profit and non-profit partnerships to make a difference in our community. We encourage you to give, advocate and volunteer throughout the year to help raise awareness and improve lives. Paula S. Gilberto President and CEO United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut www.HartfordBusiness.com November 22, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 5

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