Mississippi continues to make progress toward a healthier future, and the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation is facilitating this progress by providing the resources, funding and leadership needed to continue in our commitment to a healthier Mississippi.
The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation is proud to have provided grant funding to these organizations:
Building Healthy Communities
Delta Fresh Foods Initiative
With a generous grant to the Delta Fresh Foods Initiative, the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation is providing inclusive outdoor fitness equipment, a community garden and farmers’ market, all three with wellness programming,for both children and adults living in Bolivar County, the Delta region and beyond. The initiative integrates healthy eating and exercise to increase health literacy, improve overall well-being and provide a sustainable food source. In partnership with local school districts, the Delta Fresh Initiative offers students and their families hands-on activities in a unique agricultural environment connecting them with nature, fostering environmental stewardship and demonstrating where food comes from by growing, harvesting a tasting a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
University and College Tobacco-Free Campus Policies Strengthened
The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation is providing ongoing support to Mississippi’s universities and colleges by encouraging strengthened tobacco-free policies aligning with the Model Policy for a Smoke-free College/University as published by the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF). Grant funds are provided for support of general health and wellness at the university or college, excluding support of athletic teams. As of 2024, seventeen of Mississippi's public universities and colleges have received grants to strengthen policies. This year, Blue Mountain Christian University received a grant from the Foundation to strengthen its campus tobacco-free policy.
Building Healthy Schools
Healthy School Awards
O'Bannon Elementary School and Pascagoula High School were honored as 2025 Healthy School Award winners by the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation. The schools earned the title "Healthy School" in recognition of implementing exemplary school health and wellness initiatives and programs. Both schools used the grant funds to support ongoing efforts to create and sustain healthy school environments.
School Garden Program
In 2025, the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation awarded a school garden grant to Highland Bluff Elementary School in the Rankin County School District, bringing the total number of school gardens funded to 71 since 2015. School gardens offer hands-on learning with opportunities for students to observe everything from seeding to harvesting to tasting, which helps them understand how healthy foods grow. Teachers are connecting the school garden with classroom curricula such as science, math, reading, culinary art and physical education so students can learn about healthy cooking, eating and environmental sustainability.
Physical Education Conferences
The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation hosted three Project Fit America Physical Education Conferences bringing together physical education teachers from elementary and middle schools around the state. The teachers participate in educational sessions and shared best practices for engaging students and making P.E. classes both exciting and effective. Provided with Foundation grant funds, participants received indoor physical fitness equipment and curricula designed to help P.E. teachers find imaginative and innovative ways to get students moving.
Access to Care
South Sunflower County Hospital Foundation
With generous grant funds and leadership support from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, South Sunflower County Hospital marked a major milestone in maternal healthcare with the grand opening of its newly renovated Maternity Care Center. The modern, patient-centered facility was created following years of strategic partnerships and a shared mission to expand access to quality care for women and families in the Delta.
Click here to learn more about the Maternity Health Center at South Sunflower County Hospital.