Easterseals Awarded Highmark BluePrints for the Community Grant

Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore announced that it has received a Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware BluePrints for the Community grant to support their Memory Care and Adult Day Health Services. This funding will allow Easterseals to meet the current challenges of rising expenses to provide these much-needed services, while continuing to expand the number of people served with memory and cognitive challenges in their existing Adult Day Health Program.

“As the population in Delaware continues to age, the need to expand the memory care program grows. Expanding Easterseals services will provide more adults with a safe and caring program during the day that benefits both the participant and the caregiver,” Easterseals President/CEO, Kenan Sklenar, says. “We are grateful for this investment from Highmark Delaware and especially pleased to receive the BluePrints for the Community grant. Community partners like Highmark Delaware help Easterseals continue to offer exceptional services that our community relies on.”

BluePrints for the Community, housed by the Delaware Community Foundation, has contributed over $35 million to the community since its inception in 2007. It was established to increase access to care and reduce health care disparities in Delaware.

“It is important that our older adults have safe and healthy ways to age with comfort and dignity, and equally important that their caregivers have access to resources that allow for rest and work,” President of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware, Nick Moriello, said. “The Easterseals’ Adult Day Health program is providing the support and respite that our aging Delawareans and caregivers need.”

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware serves approximately 500,000 members through the company’s health care benefits business. It is an influential company in the market generating an economic impact of $135 million and supporting more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs across the state. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware has been named a Top Workplace in Delaware and a Top Workplace USA. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information, visit www.highmarkbcbsde.com.

The mission of the Delaware Community Foundation is to improve the lives of the people of Delaware by empowering and growing philanthropy through knowledge and relationships, now and in the future. As a facilitator, information resource and manager of charitable funds, the DCF helps communities and philanthropists focus charitable resources for the greatest community benefit statewide. For more information, visit delcf.org or call 302.571.8004.

Celebrating 75 years, Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore is leading the way to an inclusive community through its innovative services, which include: children’s therapies, day programs for adults with physical or intellectual disabilities, supported employment, personal attendant services, senior services, recreational camping, respite services, and services for caregivers. To learn more about Easterseals, call 1-800-677-3800 or visit www.de.easterseals.com.