Aetna Grants $539,000 to Pennsylvania Nonprofits in 2009

BLUE BELL, Pa., June 15, 2010 —  Aetna (NYSE: AET) and the Aetna Foundation in 2009 awarded community grants and sponsorships in Pennsylvania totaling $539,000, with a particular focus on disease prevention, obesity and health screening.

The contributions support Aetna’s commitment to enhancing the quality of health care, and reducing racial and ethnic disparities. In total, the Aetna Foundation, Aetna and its employees awarded more than $24 million nationally in 2009. 

The 28 Pennsylvania grant recipients were:

• Accion Communal Americana de Montgomery County;
• American Cancer Society;
• American Diabetes Association;
• American Heart Association-Philadelphia chapter;
• ArtsQuest;
• Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly;
• Citybusiness USA LLC;
• Congreso de Latinos Unidos Inc.;
• Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America Inc.;
• Greater Philadelphia NAMIWalks;
• Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania;
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer;
• March of Dimes Foundation Inc.;
• Montgomery Child Advocacy Project;
• Mount St. Joseph Academy;
• National MS Society; Greater Delaware Valley chapter;
• Nazareth Hospital;
• Nueva Esperanza Inc.;
• Penn Asian Senior Services;
• Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau Foundation;
• Philadelphia Youth Network Inc.;
• Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Montgomery County Inc.;
• Rhythm & Blues Foundation;
• Special Olympics Pennsylvania;
• Temple University;
• The Carl and Emily Weller Center for Health Education;
• The Gesu School Inc.; and
• University of Pennsylvania.

“Aetna is proud to support organizations in Pennsylvania that are making great progress in addressing health care issues that affect our communities,” said Patrick Young, president of Aetna’s Pennsylvania market.  “More than 4,000 Aetna employees live and work in Pennsylvania.  As a responsible corporate citizen, and as members of this community, we recognize our obligation to help meet these critical needs.”

The largest of those grants was for $125,000 to the American Heart Association’s Philadelphia chapter in support of the Start! campaign.  Start! is a nationwide, corporate call to action that encourages employers to incorporate fitness and wellness into their company cultures.  Physical inactivity is one of the leading factors in cardiovascular disease and obesity, and the program urges employers to invest in their employees' health and wellness to create a healthier nation, reduce health care costs and improve productivity.

“Aetna and the Aetna Foundation are proud to partner with organizations across the country in support of their good work, and we look forward to continued relationships as we focus our giving in key areas going forward,” said Anne Beal, MD, MPH, president of the Aetna Foundation. “For 2010 and beyond, we are transitioning to a new approach that encompasses a more concentrated grant-making focus on specific health issues of national concern, enhanced communication and measurement of the impact of our grants, a more proportionate distribution of our charitable giving across the country, and a more holistic relationship with our community partners that capitalizes on our employee presence and the generosity and talents of our employee volunteers.” 

The Aetna Foundation has opened the call for proposals for the 2010 grant cycle.  Grant applicants should visit www.AetnaFoundation.org for more information on how to apply for a grant and to learn more about the following Aetna Foundation focus areas for grant making in 2010 and beyond:

• Addressing the rising incidence of obesity among U.S. residents, including children;
• Promoting racial and ethnic equity in health and health care for common chronic conditions and for the prevention of infant mortality; and
• Advancing integrated health care, by:

o Improving coordination and communications among health care professionals;
o Creating informed and involved patients; and
o Promoting cost-effective, affordable care.

About the Aetna Foundation

The Aetna Foundation is the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of Aetna Inc.  Since 1980, Aetna and the Aetna Foundation have contributed over $379 million in grants and sponsorships.  As a national health foundation, we promote wellness, health, and access to high-quality health care for everyone.  This work is enhanced by the time and commitment of Aetna employees, who have volunteered nearly 2 million hours since 2003.  Our current giving is focused on addressing the rising rate of adult and childhood obesity in the U.S.; promoting racial and ethnic equity in health and health care; and advancing integrated health care. For more information, visit www.AetnaFoundation.org.
 
About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.1 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com and Aetna's Annual Report at www.aetna.com/2009annualreport.