From Laundry Services to Baby Showers: How Elevance Health Cultivates Community Health

Elevance Health works in communities across the country to foster environments in which all people can be as healthy as possible. These efforts include hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours and a wide variety of supported events and programs, such as a pop-up medical clinic in Ohio providing no-cost care, a mental health provider’s services to care for students and teachers in California schools, and a rodeo in Texas that offers experiences like horseback riding for children with disabilities.

These types of initiatives have contributed to our recognition as a Civic 50 honoree for five years in a row — a distinction awarded by the global nonprofit Points of Light to the most community-minded companies in the United States. Here's a look at Elevance Health efforts that exemplify our work to strengthen local ties and boost community health.

Taking a Truly Local Focus

Up to 80% of health stems from factors outside the doctor’s office, but often in and around one’s own ZIP code — things like access to nutritious food, safe housing, stable employment, and reliable transportation.

That’s why meeting people where they are matters when it comes to community health. It offers opportunities to address both physical health needs and social factors that influence those needs.

Having clean clothes, for example, is important but can be a challenge for someone without a washing machine or dryer. In Tennessee, Wellpoint recently offered free laundry services at neighborhood laundromats in the city of Knoxville along with information about nutrition support and behavioral health resources.

In Indiana — where the maternal mortality rate was 10^th highest among assessed states from 2018-2022 and the infant mortality rate is also among the nation’s highest — an Elevance Health-affiliated health plan partnered with local organizations to host a community baby shower. The Fort Wayne event offered a warm meal, free diapers, and access to other resources for expecting parents.

The health plan also worked with Dear Fathers to expand its “Dads to Doulas” program into Indiana. The initiative offers education for dads on how to advocate for and support their partner during pregnancy and beyond, with a goal of curbing maternal and infant mortality, particularly in the Black community.

“Our holistic approach to health drives us to dig into challenges that are difficult but where we believe a real difference can be made, even one community at a time,” said Dr. Shantanu Agrawal, chief health officer at Elevance Health.
 

Building Individual Health Through Community Investments

In Atlanta, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and New York City, Elevance Health has forged relationships with under-resourced schools and their broader communities. For example:

• At Brookside School 54 in Indianapolis, we’ve worked since 2022 with multiple nonprofit partners to build and stock an in-school food pantry, and we’ve enlisted the nonprofit Common Threads to provide hands-on cooking lessons and nutrition education for students and families. To date, the effort has provided more than 92,000 pounds of food and 7,100 hours of education to the school community.
• At Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles, we’ve helped build out a robust community garden that’s an on-the-ground opportunity for nutrition education, and provided funding and volunteers for the transformation of the school’s weight room.

These types of community efforts align with our company’s purpose of improving the health of humanity by laying a foundation for better health and well-being. They also reflect how we care for members covered by our health plans.

Through our Community Connected Care program, we partner with community-based organizations to support members of Elevance Health-affiliated plans who may have health-related social needs, working with the members to educate, guide, and connect them with resources and services. While aiding members on their road to better health by helping them access nutritious food, obtain housing repairs, or navigate a language barrier, the program also strengthens the fabric of local communities by providing resources to community-based organizations.

"Our approach is about more than just improving individual health outcomes — it's about investing in the strength and resilience of entire communities,” Agrawal said. “By addressing social drivers of health, we're not only supporting members but also empowering the community organizations that drive lasting change within the entire community."
 

Business and Foundation: Working Side by Side

Our corporate investments in community health are bolstered by the work of the Elevance Health Foundation and our more than 100,000 associates worldwide.

With a focus on maternal and infant health, community resilience and disaster relief, food as medicine, and behavioral health, the foundation awarded more than $97 million in grant funding to more than 12,000 nonprofit partners across the U.S. from July 2021 to July 2024. In early 2025, the foundation announced a five-year, $150 million commitment featuring additional grant funding, impact investments, and other philanthropic efforts.

Meanwhile, since 2021, Elevance Health associates have logged more than 860,000 volunteer hours, working in community gardens and with local food banks or other service organizations. Our associates also have donated approximately $20 million to charitable causes, with many of those donations eligible for matching funds from Elevance Health.

All told, more than 18,400 charities have benefited from our associates’ volunteer work or financial donations.

"Our commitment to community health reflects the values and passions of our associates,” Agrawal said. “By partnering with local nonprofits and investing in sustainable initiatives, we aim to foster healthier communities where every individual has the opportunity to thrive."