Highmark invests $4 million in 24 initiatives to enhance community health in Western New York

Buffalo, N.Y. (August 21, 2025) — Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, through the Highmark Bright Blue Futures charitable giving and community involvement program, is reinforcing its commitment to Western New York with a $4 million investment in 24 vital health projects across the region.

For the eighth consecutive year, these grants empower local nonprofits to tackle pressing health challenges in the eight counties of WNY. Highmark Blue Fund prioritizes initiatives that improve behavioral health, cardiovascular health, healthcare workforce development, maternal health, and children's health. To date, the Blue Fund's total investment in Western New York is more than $30 million.

"Building on eight years of Blue Fund partnerships, Highmark remains deeply committed to driving health equity the health of the community in Western New York," said Michael Ball, vice president, community affairs, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. "We recognize that collaboration is essential for lasting progress and improved health outcomes. These Blue Fund grants empower our local organizations working on the ground to break down barriers to health and create a healthier future for our community, and we’re proud to support their vital work.”

In conjunction with this year's awards, Highmark is hosting its inaugural Impact Summit, bringing together over 100 past and present recipients of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Fund grants. This summit will foster collaboration among nonprofit leaders, funders, and elected officials, all working together to improve community health.

“I want to thank Highmark for their continued investment in the health and well-being of our community, including their recent support of the Buffalo Police Foundation’s Officer Wellness Program. As Mayor, and throughout my career in public service, I have been a strong advocate for expanding mental health resources for our police officers and first responders—including the creation of the first-ever Wellness Coordinator position within the Buffalo Police Department. With Highmark’s partnership and support, we can now build on and expand these efforts, strengthening our shared commitment to protecting the men and women who protect us every day,” said City of Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon.

Below are the recipients of the 2025 Blue Fund Grants: 

1. Allegany County Community Opportunities and Rural Development, Unity in Nutrition Initiative will receive $250,000 to expand food access, maximize the use of local producers, reduce waste, increase gleaning, enhance delivery efficiencies and access, improve support for community pantries, and maximize local support.
2. Buffalo Police Foundation, Officer Wellness Program will receive $100,000 to enhance programmatic aspects of the Buffalo Police Department’s Officer Wellness Program, including providing mental and physical health resources to local officers.
3. Calming Nature Doula Center Inc. Calming Nature Birth Center will receive $250,000 to expand its existing birth center, enhancing workforce development and providing culturally inclusive maternal health services and education for underserved communities.
4. Dress for Success Buffalo Inc., DFS Women’s Empowerment and Mental Health Well Being Project will receive $100,000 to support a partnership with the ULTA Beauty Charitable Foundation to offer two 10-week hybrid programs to reduce barriers to community mental health access, job readiness programming, peer support, connections to community resources, and workplace attire.
5. Dumas Rise Providers, Building Capacity for Clinicians of Color will receive $200,000 to increase the number of professional mental health clinicians of color through training, financial assistance, mentorship, and community engagement.
6. Family Promise of Western New York, Shelter Diversion Pilot: Stabilizing Families in Crisis for Healthier, Brighter Futures will receive $150,000 to assist homeless families with shelter diversion services, enabling them to bypass the region’s overcrowded emergency shelter system and move directly into housing.
7. Family Service of the Chautauqua Region, Inc., Pathways to Practice: Psychology Internship will receive $100,000 to create a Psychology Doctoral Internship and Post-Doctoral Residency program in Chautauqua County, which will help prepare psychologists for licensure, provide mental health services, and shorten wait times for psychological assessments.
8. Health Sciences Charter School, Community Care Champions: Training Future Healthcare Leaders will receive $165,000 to combine rigorous academic coursework with hands-on clinical and community-based experiences, culminating in a well-prepared workforce with industry-recognized healthcare certifications and employment.
9. Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY Inc., Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute will receive $200,000 to support the Hispanic Heritage Council’s Memory Café and Nutritional Education Programming initiatives, promoting community health and wellness for underserved populations in Western New York.
10. Home Beneath Our Feet, Farm Expansion for Healthy Families will receive $100,000 to provide resources and support to expand urban farming initiatives and promote access to fresh, healthy food for families.
11. Horizon Health Services Inc., Establishment of WNY’s First Maternal IOP will receive $250,000 to implement Western New York's first maternal intensive outpatient program (IOP) to stabilize mental health symptoms and address substance use disorder among high-risk pregnant/postpartum women for whom these conditions are not well-controlled.
12. Kaleida Health Foundation, Increasing Care for Stroke Survivors in Western New York will receive $250,000 to transform stroke care in WNY by creating a post-stroke recovery program for patients and their caregivers, training medical personnel on stroke care, emphasizing the need to seek immediate medical attention if stroke symptoms are present, and encouraging healthier lifestyles.
13. Mental Health Association in Niagara County Inc., Peer Support Services will receive $100,000 to expand its Peer Support Services, including one-on-one sessions, support group facilitation, and community training.
14. Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity Inc., OLV Learning Center Expansion will receive $200,000 to convert a former residential building into a five-classroom school, enabling its Victory Learning Center to serve 30 additional students with autism and co-occurring mental health conditions.
15. Peace of the City Ministries, Determining My Own Health: Exercise, Nutrition, Social, and Wellness Monitoring will receive $100,000 to address the health disparities inherent in childhood poverty with daily after-school programs that target overall health outcomes in a culturally responsive way.
16. People Inc., Meals Matter Program: A Team-Based, Interdisciplinary Approach will receive $225,000 to expand its New Employee Orientation for Direct Support Professionals by developing Meals Matter, a new hands-on training curriculum designed by an interdisciplinary team of health and human services professionals to advance nutritional knowledge and meal preparation skills.
17. Police Athletic League of Buffalo, Inc., Buffalo PAL Healthy Youth Initiative will receive $100,000 to help grow, expand, and implement new and innovative programs that support the Buffalo PAL Healthy Youth Initiative in the areas of physical, social-emotional, and mental health.
18. Project Mona’s House, Healing & Resilience: Behavioral Health Services at the FreeTHEM Center will receive $150,000 to expand trauma-informed behavioral health services and offer more resources and mentorship using the science of HOPE curriculum to help survivors of trafficking and at-risk youth heal and rebuild their lives.
19. Project Stork Inc., The Rural Latch Lab will receive $225,000 to provide a mobile medical clinic equipped with an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, translation language line service, breastfeeding supplies, and more to serve rural communities with maternal health needs.
20. Rooted in Love Inc., Truly Rooted Community Market’s Growing Mind Classes will receive $150,000 to offer educational demos and cooking classes to youth, promoting healthier lifestyles, expanding food choices, and access to sustainable meal options in a low-income community.
21. Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, Pediatric Sickle Cell and Non-Malignant Hematological Patient Navigation will receive $100,000 to support a specialized patient navigator for pediatric patients with sickle cell disease and other non-malignant hematological conditions to address barriers to accessing the care they need.
22. The Evergreen Foundation, Health Equity by Design: Kensington-Bailey Expansion will receive $200,000 to bring together three independently operating wellness programs into one focused Community Health Worker-led initiative to address health disparities among patients through the Kensington-Bailey site, with a focus on cardiovascular health to advance individual and community-level improvement.
23. The Foundation of Catholic Health, Volunteer Congregational Health Promoters in Niagara County will receive $235,000 to recruit, train, and support trusted volunteers in faith communities to link parishioners in the city of Niagara Falls and in rural Eastern Niagara County with health and social services.
24. Tool Library Inc., Lead Safe Tool Borrowing Program Expansion will receive $100,000 to expand its Lead Safe Tool Borrowing Program, which provides education, tools, and connections to resources to community members to mitigate lead-based paint hazards in their homes and protect children from the devastating health impacts of lead exposure.

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield launched Blue Fund in July 2018 to support organizations and initiatives that work collaboratively to address key health areas and demonstrate enhanced measurable outcomes for the community.

Organizations interested in learning more about Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield’s corporate giving should visit Highmark Bright Blue Futures.