The Rockbridge Area Health Center received a $100,000 Community CareGrant from Aflac last week for the advancement of local medical outcomes through a school-based wellness education program.
The grant will also provide funding for a multidisciplinary program to increase pre- and postnatal care, according to a press release. The mayor of Lexington, Frank Friedman, recognized June 29 as “Aflac Day” to encourage citizens to improve their health and plan for life’s unexpected challenges.
Community CareGrants address health and wealth gaps through local organizations, and funds are delivered through Alfac’s Close the Gap initiative to educate, support and advocate about the medical debt.
According to the Aflac Care Index, a nationwide study that examines American awareness of and exposure to medical debt, Virginia is one of 11 states where residents exceed the national average for medical debt vulnerability. The study states that 68 percent of Virginias who responded reported savings less than or equal to their out-of-pocket maximum.
The presentation of the Community CareGrant last Wednesday was in conjunction with the installation of an Aflac Park Bench in Lexington’s Kids Playce Park. The bench is a physical manifestation of the commitments Aflac makes to education, support and advocacy to help close the gap. A bench will be installed in each community that is awarded a CareGrant.
Share
Rebecca Barnabi
