Building a Healthy Mississippi

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



Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation

In support of the Blue Health Clinic funded by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation provided grant funds to the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation for the Baptist Madison Campus Walking Trail on the west side of I-55 in Madison. The lighted trail, designed to support an “out and back” one-mile loop, is integrated into the clinical programming of the Blue Health Clinic while encouraging the campus workforce to incorporate physical activity into the workday. The trail is also fully accessible at all times for use by the general public.


South Sunflower County Hospital Foundation

The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation provided a generous grants to South Sunflower County Hospital Foundation to build the Indianola Community Wellness Center. The project was announced in 2019, and the Foundation provided a grant for architectural fees. The Foundation provided grants for both the building construction and the furniture, fixtures and equipment in 2021. The Indianola Community Wellness Center is focused on wellness and health education and encouraging healthy lifestyles within the community. The Center will have a fully-equipped fitness center, a teaching kitchen and classrooms for wellness education purposes.

Click here to learn more about the Indianola Community Wellness Center.



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 that align 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 adn wellness at the university or college, excluding support of athletic teams. The following universities and colleges have received grants from the Foundation in 2021 to strengthen their tobacco-free policies:

Click here to learn more about the Foundation's ongoing support to encourage tobacco-free university and college campuses.



Building Healthy Schools


Bell Academy - 2021 Healthy School Award


The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation honored Bell Academy with a 2021 Healthy School Award. Part of the Cleveland School District, Bell Academy thrives on providing an environment where students learn the importance of healthy eating and physical activity.

Click here to learn more about the 2021 Healthy School Award winners.


Northeast Lauderdale Elementary School - 2021 Healthy School Award


Northeast Lauderdale Elementary School of the Lauderdale County School District received a Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation 2021 Healthy School Award. The school values health and wellness and ensures students, faculty and staff have the knowledge and skills necessary to make choices that promote healthy lifestyles.

Click here to learn more about the 2021 Healthy School Award winners.


School Garden Program


In 2021, the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation awarded school garden grants to 13 Mississippi K-12 schools, bringing the total number of school gardens funded to 70 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.

Click here to learn more about the Foundation's school garden program.


Physical Education Conference


The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation hosted a virtual Physical Education Conference bringing together physical education teachers from 40 elementary schools around the state. The teachers participated 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 to enhance their schools’ P.E. programs. The physical fitness equipment included weighted hoops, stability balls, heavy ropes and more along with corresponding curricula designed to help P.E. teachers find imaginative and innovative ways to get students moving.

  • A. W. James Elementary School
  • Bayou View Elementary School
  • Benndale Elementary School
  • Bogue Chitto Elementary School
  • Bowmar Avenue Elementary School
  • Brookhaven Academy
  • Brookhaven Elementary School
  • Byhalia Elementary School
  • Caledonia Elementary School
  • Center Hill Elementary School
  • Conehatta Elementary School
  • Greenlee Elementary School
  • Hancock North Central Elementary School
  • Heritage Academy
  • Ida Greene Elementary School
  • Laurel Upper Elementary School
  • Lewisburg Elementary School
  • Lizana Elementary School
  • Longleaf Elementary School
  • Luther Branson Elementary School
  • Lyon Elementary School
  • Madison Crossing Elementary School
  • Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Elementary School
  • North Forrest Elementary School
  • Northshore Elementary School
  • Oakdale Elementary School
  • Pearl River Elementary School
  • Pearl Upper Elementary School
  • Pleasant Hill Elementary School
  • Purvis Lower Elementary School
  • Red Water Elementary School
  • Ripley Elementary School
  • Saucier Elementary School
  • Southaven Intermediate School
  • Standing Pine Elementary School
  • Strayhorn Elementary School
  • Tucker Elementary School
  • Twenty-Eighth Street Elementary School
  • West Elementary School
  • Wheeler Attendance Center