Fidelis Care to Give Away Thousands of School Supplies At 2016 Great New York State Fair

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Sept. 2, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the second consecutive year, Fidelis Care will offer over 6,000 free school supplies at the 2016 Great New York State Fair on Student Day, Friday, September 2 to help children prepare for the start of the new school year. Fidelis Care Representatives will give backpacks, spiral notebooks, calculators, and pencils to children beginning at 10 AM at Fidelis Care's booth, located in front of the Art and Home Center.

"We understand that back to school can be a challenging time for some families," said Chief Marketing Officer Pamela Hassen. "As part of the Fidelis Care mission and our commitment to children and the community, we are grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Fair once again, and to help in any way we can."

Fidelis Care is helping additional families across New York State by participating in more than 120 back-to-school events and providing more than 85,000 school supplies this year.

"Our partners at Fidelis Care make an impact in the lives of New Yorkers every day and we are pleased to be able to continue working together. I encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to receive school supplies and get ready for another exciting year of learning and growing even as they come to the Fair for a day of fun and excitement," said Troy Waffner, Acting Fair Director.

Fidelis Care will be on-site during all 12 days of the Fair, promoting the importance of health insurance for every child. More than 170,000 children under age 19 in the State are uninsured, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, even though almost all of them qualify for coverage through the State-sponsored Child Health Plus (CHP) program. Fidelis Care is the largest CHP plan in the State with over 91,000 members.

Fidelis Care recognizes that children benefit from having a primary care doctor who promotes the importance of immunizations, regular checkups, exercise, proper nutrition, and dental care.

Every day during the Fair, representatives will be available at Fidelis Care's booth in front of the Art and Home Center to answer questions about health insurance and help eligible residents apply for enrollment. Fidelis Care is also sponsoring the Fair's Senior Citizens' Days on Monday, August 29 and Tuesday, August 30. Senior Citizens age 60 and older are offered free admission to the Fair on those two days.

About Fidelis Care:

Fidelis Care is a faith-based, mission-driven health plan that offers quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life, including products available through NY State of Health: The Official Health Plan Marketplace. With more than 1.5 million members Statewide, Fidelis Care was founded on the belief that all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, quality health insurance. For more information, call Fidelis Care at 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547) or visit fideliscare.org.

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