Local health plan devoted over $5 million to community health initiatives while its employees volunteered nearly 5,500 hours to charitable causes  Employees of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) volunteered 5,449 hours and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey made 128 grants totaling $5.2 million to community projects in 2015. Significant contributions included a $600,000 grant to the Boys and Girls Clubs of New Jersey in Clifton to support the Breathe Easier with Asthma Management (BEAM) initiative, a $30,000 grant to Isles in Trenton, NJ to support its Healthy Homes Training to Reduce Asthma program and a $30,000 grant to the UrbanPromise Ministries in Camden, NJ to support its Eat Well, Move Well, Be Well program. Horizon BCBSNJ is dedicated to investing time and resources toward helping communities live healthier, safer and more productive lives. This commitment was illustrated in 2015 by a $30,000 grant to the Salvation Army (New Jersey Division) in Camden, NJ to support an outdoor community spaces project at the Kroc Center that will expand a raised-bed garden, and build a picnic grove and outdoor space for special events."Horizon BCBSNJ is committed to and focused on improving the health of New Jersey residents. We know that caring about the wellness of our friends and neighbors is more than a job, it's our responsibility as a corporate citizen of this state," said Robert A. Marino, Horizon BCBSNJ Chairman & CEO and Horizon Foundation Chairman. "We are proud to support nonprofit and community-based organizations that make New Jersey a better place to live."The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Horizon BCBSNJ's trade group, released its eighth annual Investing in America's Health (IAH) report. The report highlights the 36 Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies' commitment to improving the health of all Americans, an effort that contributed to a national total of nearly 400,000 volunteer hours and nearly $350 million in community project funding across all BCBS companies and their foundations. Employees of BCBS companies also donated nearly $10 million to community health initiatives in 2015."The commitment of BCBS companies and their employees to improving the health and wellness of the people they serve cannot be understated," said Scott P. Serota, President and CEO for BCBSA. "As America's healthcare leaders, BCBS companies take great pride in building on our 87-year legacy as true healthcare pioneers and trusted partners to the communities we serve."To learn more about how BCBS companies are improving the health and wellness of members and their communities, view the report at http://www.bcbs.com/about-the-association/in-the-community-2016.htmlAbout Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New JerseyHorizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state's oldest and largest health insurer is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health service corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is leading the transformation of health care in New Jersey by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that reward the quality, not quantity, of care patients receive. Learn more at www.HorizonBlue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association serving more than 3.8 million members.About the Foundation:The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey is committed to working alongside those who can help us improve our neighbors' health, inform their health decisions and inspire them to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. The Foundation's new funding pillars are Caring, Connecting and Creating. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is the sole member of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, both of which are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information please visit Community.HorizonBlue.com.About Blue Cross Blue Shield AssociationThe Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for over 107 million members - one in three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit http://www.BCBS.com. We encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out The BCBS Blog for up-to-date information about BCBSA.