Monday, April 20, 2026
Buffalo, New York (April 20, 2026) – Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is proud to announce its first-ever Highmark Bright Blue Days of Service Week, a dedicated week of volunteerism designed to empower team members to give back to the community.
As part of the organization’s Highmark Bright Blue Futures community giving and involvement program, Bright Blue Days of Service will run from April 20 through April 25, impacting a variety of local non-profits.
Throughout the week, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield team members will pay it forward through hands-on volunteer opportunities, including revitalizing Buffalo Olmsted Parks through park and playground cleanups, supporting the WNY Resource Council’s after-school program, participating in Habitat for Humanity home builds, and assisting with food distribution efforts at FeedMore WNY.
In addition, team members will dedicate collective “action hours” to support the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County, Harvest House, and Matt Urban Human Services.
"Supporting our community has long been at the heart of who we are at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield," says Jessica Cox, president, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. "Our 'Bright Blue Days of Service' truly brings that commitment to life, bringing our team members together to pay it forward, while strengthening our belief that healthier communities are the foundation for better health for everyone."
In 2025 alone, Highmark team members contributed more than 7,500 volunteer hours in New York, supporting a wide range of community organizations and initiatives. These efforts include Highmark-facilitated volunteer events, nonprofit partner engagement, and service through board leadership roles held by team members.
"We are truly grateful for our partnership with Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield,” said Keri Socker, Chief of Staff, Resource Council of WNY. “The Week of Service is such a great way to bring Highmark employees together with the community and those that serve the community to get a better understanding of how important the work that we do is. I always tell volunteers, once you come to our center once, you'll be back!”
Complementing its volunteer efforts, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield supports more than 200 nonprofit organizations annually, providing nearly $8 million in funding each year in New York. This includes significant investments through Blue Fund grants, which focus on improving community health outcomes and addressing social determinants of health across the region.
About Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Highmark Western and Northeastern New York Inc., doing business as Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, is the region’s largest and longest-standing health plan, with roots in Western New York dating back to 1936. Today, it is an affiliate of Highmark Inc. and other Highmark health plans, which collectively comprise the third largest overall Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated organization in the country with nearly 8 million members in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, West Virginia, Missouri and Kansas. The company insures over 500k members and employs more than 1,400 team members across New York State. It is one of the region’s strongest corporate citizens, investing over $8 million into 200 non-profit partners across New York. The company generates over $1 billion in economic impact in New York. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information, visit www.highmark.com.
For more information, contact:
Amber Hartmann
716-208-9534
amber.hartmann@highmarkhealth.org
