PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 11, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Philadelphia region's leading health insurer, Independence Blue Cross (IBC), establishes a new facility today, the Wellness and Learning Center, to enrich veterans' lives and help pave the way to brighter futures. Transformed from a three-story home into a Center equipped with a classroom, counseling area, fitness facility and more, the Center, located at 3209 Baring Street in Philadelphia, will help veterans establish a support system, develop life skills and improve physical fitness.
Connected directly to The Veterans Group, a nonprofit organization that provides food, shelter, case management, and supportive services to struggling homeless veterans, the Wellness and Learning Center will serve veterans who are residents and nonresidents. Services will include workshops, seminars, programs, and more to help veterans obtain life and/or job skills to help them succeed in civilian life. The addition of counseling and fitness facilities will also help improve overall mental and physical health to manage the related effects that sometimes follow military service.
"For over seven decades, IBC has proudly supported our veterans who have risked their lives for our freedom," said Christopher Cashman, IBC executive vice president and president of commercial markets. "As we look to the future with more than 1 million service members leaving the military and re-entering civilian life over the next five years, IBC chose to work with The Veterans Group as our premier 75th anniversary project and created the Wellness and Learning Center. Dedicated to enhancing the health and wellness of the people and communities we serve, we hope the Wellness and Learning Center will establish an avenue toward successful, productive lives for our veterans."
IBC has been working for months to create the Wellness and Learning Center at The Veterans Group, the latest addition to IBC's continued support of veterans. Over the years, IBC has demonstrated its appreciation of the sacrifices made by the nation's military veterans by not only supporting these brave men and women during active duty, but also after their service is completed. In 1942, IBC had the first sales representatives on site at military bases to enroll members. Ten of its board members were also active in the war effort at this time. Today, in addition to the new Center, the company continues its support with IVets, a group of nearly 100 IBC associates who are military veterans. The group recruits and retains military veterans, while also providing current veteran associates a forum for networking, camaraderie, and service.
For more information about Independence Blue Cross, please visit www.ibx.com. To learn how to support The Veterans Group, please visit www.theveteransgroup.org.
About Independence Blue Cross
Proudly celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2013, Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we serve more than 7 million people nationwide, including 2.2 million in the region. We are enhancing the health and wellness of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more about how we're changing the game, visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook at ibx.com/facebook and on Twitter at @ibx. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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