2021 was a year where access to health faced many barriers. Unfortunately, while this isn’t new to many communities across the state of Minnesota, 2021 brought even greater challenges than before. These challenges were not simply presented one after another, but piled on simultaneously and without reprieve. We didn’t see just food insecurity, which is nothing to sneeze at on its own, but food insecurity with a nasty, new COVID-19 variant at the same time. Add in rampant structural racism and the political tug-of-war plaguing school districts on mask use, and you have the makings of community turmoil—with health priorities falling by the wayside.

With all these challenges affecting our communities, the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota maintained its vision – one for a healthier Minnesota, where all people, regardless of race, income, ZIP code or other social determinants of health can live their healthiest lives possible. The Center for Prevention also maintained its belief that communities hold the solutions to the challenges they face. And so, despite the barriers, challenges and exhaustion, or because of them, the Center for Prevention invested in the community.

In 2021, the Center for Prevention invested $6 million in communities to advance racial and health equity through increasing access to healthy food and physical activity and reducing commercial tobacco use. The report below provides an overview of the Center engaging with people throughout Minnesota, building relationships, supporting leadership development, leading advocacy efforts and funding community-led initiatives to improve health outcomes for all.

“At Blue Cross, we’re on a journey to listen and learn and then play our part in the solutions,” says Bukata Hayes, vice president of racial and health equity. “We know that we can do better, as Blue Cross, but also as a state and a nation, when it comes to addressing racial and health inequities. Communities hold the answers to the challenges they face. And as an organization, we’re investing in community-led solutions and working to build trust and partner with those organizations leading the work.”

A multi-pronged approach

The Center for Prevention focused on these five bodies of work in 2021:

• Health POWER: The Health POWER (People Organizing and Working for Equitable Results) initiative funds 15 organizations for four years, supporting them in enhancing the capacity of communities to create policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change, leading to long-term, sustained health improvements.
• Reducing commercial tobacco use: This body of work provides funding to reduce commercial tobacco use in communities by supporting community-driven, culturally specific efforts that raise awareness, shift cultural and social norms, and influence organizational and local public policy.
• Healthy eating: Everyone should have the option to eat healthy foods, and this work seeks to make that a reality for all Minnesotans by increasing food security and the consumption of healthy foods in communities experiencing health inequities. We funded 11 community organizations across the state to lead community-identified solutions that increase access to healthy, affordable and culturally-appropriate food.
• Physical activity: This body of work supported community-level change that made it possible for people to have what they need in their communities to be active and well, including access to secure and livable housing. We worked with a variety of community partners to provide people of all ages and abilities with opportunities for physical activity.
• Changing the narrative on health: The Center supported two programs in 2021 – ThreeSixty Journalism and a new partnership with the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, both of which featured student-created work exploring racism as a public health crisis.

"As we look back at 2021, we have to view our work and achievements as part of a process and a journey—not an endpoint. An even more equitable future is possible in 2022. As an organization we’re deeply committed to listening, learning, and actively working to center equity, respect, and justice in our efforts to create a healthier future for all Minnesotans.” — Bukata Hayes, Vice President, Racial and Health Equity

2021 by the numbers

• 37 community initiatives were funded, totaling $6 million, to support health equity, access to healthy foods, physical activity and commercial tobacco control
• 3,671 community members were engaged in activities like gardening programs, classes, trainings, and community forums
• 3,235 pounds of food was produced in community gardens, beehives, and urban agriculture
• 162 policy, systems and environmental changes as part of the Health POWER initiative
• 364,490 pounds of food was distributed or donated to individuals, children and families facing food insecurity

Read the report

To see all that the Center for Prevention accomplished in Minnesota communities in 2021, read the 2021 Report here.