The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey has awarded $846,600 in grants to community-based organizations for programs and initiatives focused on improving public health and enhancing the quality of life in the Garden State. The grants, representing the second round of funding for 2015, will go to 11 New Jersey non-profit organizations.The charitable arm of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the Horizon Foundation has awarded 1,188 grants since its inception in 2004, providing more than $42 million in support to community-based organizations throughout the state."The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey works closely with non-profit organizations to promote health education and prevention so individuals can lead a healthier lifestyle," said Robert A. Marino, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey Chairman & CEO and Horizon Foundation Board Chairman. "We believe the programs we support help to enrich the lives of residents and improve their quality of life,"The Foundation awarded the following 11 grants:

• American Diabetes Association, in Bridgewater, received a $75,000 grant to support the Wellness Lives Here program, which will integrate its community outreach programming and research-based employee engagement into one comprehensive platform to educate the community on diabetes management and prevention.
• Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey, in Clifton, received a $600,000 grant to support Phase 2 of Breathe Easier with Asthma Management (BEAM). BEAM is an initiative of the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey that raises awareness about asthma and educates Boys & Girls Club members and their parents or caregivers about the disorder and how best to manage it. Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey serves as the state program office and will implement Phase 2 of BEAM in up to 16 Club sites throughout the state.
• Garden State Discovery Museum Center for Learning, in Cherry Hill, received a $18,500 general operating support grant to develop its theater program with the goal of expanding its reach to deliver quality programming to children and families.
• Isles, in Trenton, received a $30,000 grant to support the Healthy Homes Training to Reduce Asthma program. The initiative will train social workers and other home visitors from community organizations in the Trenton area to: 1) become well-versed in the environmental triggers of asthma; 2) assess the condition of a home's indoor health and the occupant's practices that trigger asthma; and 3) develop an action plan and recommendations to effectively remediate problems.
• Mainstage Center for the Arts, in Blackwood, received a $10,000 general operating support grant to build and expand its programs to impact the communities it serves.
• McCarter Theatre Company, in Princeton, received a $10,000 grant to support the McCarter Access to the Arts Program, which provides accessibility services for patrons who are visually or hearing impaired and patrons with mobility limitations.
• Passage Theatre Company, in Trenton, received a $10,000 general operating support grant to fund its programming, arts education activities and staffing.
• The Salvation Army (New Jersey Division), in Camden, received a $30,000 grant to support an outdoor community spaces project at the Kroc Center that will expand a raised-bed garden, build a picnic grove and build an outdoor space for special events.
• Support Center|Partnership in Philanthropy, in Newark, received a $18,100 grant to provide capacity building professional development workshops, organizational assessments, one-on-one coaching, training and consulting for non-profit organizations.
• UrbanPromise Ministries, in Camden, received a $30,000 grant to support its Eat Well, Move Well, Be Well program. The program takes a multifaceted approach to preventing obesity among students attending the Ministries' two schools and its out-of-school time programs, and among community members that utilize the food co-op. Activities will promote healthy eating and physical activity, and increase access to fresh produce.
• Young Audiences of New Jersey, in Princeton, received a $15,000 grant to conduct its Family Arts and Creativity program in four Trenton elementary and middle schools. This family-centered arts education program is designed to promote child learning, strengthen families and bring together young people, their parents, and professional teaching artists in hands-on art-making workshops.

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 www.Horizonblue.com/Foundation.