COVID-19: Our Response

Anthem Foundation is committed to standing with our communities and helping those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Through relationships with nonprofit organizations on the forefront of prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts, Anthem Foundation has committed or projected $50 million to support relief efforts across the country.

We invite you to join us in our support of the American Red Cross.^*

The Anthem Foundation will match your donation dollar for dollar until $1 million is reached. Our donations enable the American Red Cross to continue supporting families and communities affected by life’s emergencies amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Donate now.

National Partnerships

The Anthem Foundation is working closely with our nonprofit partners to deliver relief to the communities we serve. Highlights include:

Red Cross

As a $1 million-level member of the American Red Cross’ Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP), Anthem Foundation helps provide a reliable funding base for relief services. Investments of ADGP members like Anthem Foundation are the backbone of Red Cross disaster services work—ensuring that the organization can help communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters and meet the urgent needs of people affected by disasters anytime and anywhere across the U.S. Anthem’s advance commitment made through the ADGP program is helping the Red Cross make essential preparations and adapt to continue safely delivering its vital disaster services nationwide as communities face increasing impacts of the coronavirus in the U.S.

Direct Relief

A grant to Direct Relief in support of its United States Emergency Preparedness and Response Program is helping ensure medical resources get where they need to be. Direct Relief is allocating funds to bolster inventories of preventive and critical care equipment and supplies, providing emergency financial support to nonprofit safety-net health providers, and supporting the public health efforts of state and local public health agencies.

Americares

Our partnership with Americares is helping to provide personal protective equipment and training to health workers on the front lines of the outbreak. To date, Americares has delivered 20 tons of protective supplies. An April 2020 commitment will increase the number of masks and other critical PPE items to be distributed in geographies with the highest case counts.

Feeding America

Through funding of $1.7 million (and growing), Anthem Foundation is a Feeding America Leadership Partner. Feeding America and its entire network of food banks are continuing to serve neighbors in need. Many food banks are adapting their programs to meet increased needs for kids and families affected by school closures as well as addressing the issue of people needing food while quarantined.

Boys and Girls Clubs

As communities across the country see their schools close, we are working to redirect up to $2 million in grant funding to local Boys and Girls Clubs to help distribute meals to children and families who rely heavily on school and club meals. At some Clubs, funding is supporting virtual programming to improve youth physical and mental health during this time.

Mental Health America (MHA)

Anthem Foundation recently announced a new grant to Mental Health America, the nation’s largest independently held behavioral health organization. The grant funds MHA’s Screening to Supports (S2S) program, an online platform offering free, anonymous mental health screens to nearly one million people per year, with analysis of results and customized recommendations for next steps. S2S has seen a 20 percent increase in anxiety screens since COVID-19 started spreading across the world. As more and more places enact quarantines and social distancing, MHA is promoting, adapting, and improving access to this tool so it can more effectively address the impacts of loneliness and isolation.

Portlight Strategies

People with disabilities and those living in areas of food insecurity are disproportionately affected by all disasters, and access to healthy eating is more important than ever during these uncertain times. A new Foundation grant has enabled Kelly’s Kitchen and Portlight Strategies to create a cutting-edge, disability-focused response to COVID-19. The organizations are partnering with Centers for Independent Living and other disability and aging stakeholder organizations to support existing and new food pantry efforts.

United Way Worldwide

United Way Worldwide is supporting communities across the world struggling to cope with COVID-19. To address rapidly escalating needs, United Way Worldwide has created the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund. Ninety-five percent of all donations will serve the most vulnerable, through local United Ways and 211 operations. This fund will help meet needs at the local level including, but not limited to, emergency food support, providing meals to school-aged kids, rental assistance, lost wage support, and health/medical access support.

Associate Engagement

Giving Opportunity

Our associates across the country have stepped up to ask for ways they can give back to our communities during these challenging times. Specific to COVID-19, Anthem Foundation is promoting a Giving Opportunity for associates to contribute to our disaster partners with a 200 percent Anthem Foundation match through May 5 (Giving Tuesday). This is double our standard match rate.

Virtual Volunteer Opportunities

Anthem Foundation has collected and vetted virtual volunteer opportunities for associates who are interested in safely giving back to our communities during this uncertain time. From remote teaching to mailing cards, there are plenty of needs that lend themselves well to a virtual context. Virtual volunteerism is eligible for reward incentives through our Dollars for Doers program, and we doubled those during April for National Volunteer Month to $20 per volunteer hour that associates can direct to the nonprofits of their choice.

Anthem Medical Associate Volunteer Program

Anthem has launched the Anthem Medical Associate Volunteer Program as a way for associates with professional medical training to volunteer and assist in their local communities’ response to COVID-19. This program is also eligible for Dollars for Doers rewards.

* The American Red Cross name and emblem are used with its permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, express or implied, of any product, service, company, opinion or political position. The American Red Cross logo is a registered trademark owned by the American National Red Cross.

Relief Work by State

Through relationships with nonprofit organizations that are on the forefront of prevention, treatment and recovery efforts, Anthem Foundation has committed or projected $20 million to support relief efforts in affected areas across the country. A detailed breakdown by state can be found here.

State	COVID-19 Relief (project)
Arizona	$50,000
Arkansas	$50,000
California	$3.8 Million
Colorado	$900,000
Connecticut	$1 Million
Florida	700,000
Georgia	$1.7 Million
Indiana	$2.8 Million
Iowa	$172,000
Kentucky	$1 Million
Louisiana	$187,000
Maine	$306,000
Maryland	$329,000
Minnesota	$138,000
Missouri	$1.2 Million
Nevada	$358,000
New Hampshire	$323,000
New Jersey	$338,000
New York	$1.8 Million
Ohio	$2.2 Million
Tennessee	$413,000
Texas	$682,000
Virginia	$1.9 Million
Washington	$178,000
Washington D.C.	$250,000
West Virginia	$88,000
Wisconsin	$623,000

Additionally, our associates across the country have stepped up to ask for ways they can give back to our communities during these challenging times. Anthem Foundation has collected and vetted virtual volunteer opportunities for associates who are interested in safely giving back to our communities in this uncertain period. From remote teaching to mailing cards, there are plenty of activities that lend themselves well to being done in a virtual context. So far, associates have volunteered nearly 20,000 hours.