UTICA — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield recently awarded the Clinton Chamber of Commerce a Community Health Award of $2,000 in support of the Clinton Farmers Market – Power of Produce Kids Club. This program provides a fun opportunity for children to learn about their local food system through conversations with farmers, educational games, and exposure to new fruits and vegetables. Each child receives two $1 tokens weekly to spend at the farmers market.

“The driving theme behind the program is to encourage the development of healthy eating habits at an early age,” said Jackie Walters, executive director of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce. “The children are empowered to make healthier food purchases and are introduced to where their food comes from.”

The Clinton Chamber of Commerce is a networking organization serving businesses and non-profit organizations and supporting local economies in the village of Clinton, the town of Kirkland and the surrounding areas. The Clinton Chamber of Commerce operates the Clinton Farmers Market which runs annually from June through October on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. SNAP benefits are accepted at the Clinton Farmers Market.

Through a competitive application process, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Community Health Awards help fund programs that improve the health or health care of a specific population, programs that aim to improve the health status of the community, closes the gaps in health disparities, reduces the incidence of specific diseases, promotes health education and assists our communities in dealing with COVID.

“The company’s Community Health Awards demonstrate a corporate commitment to support local organizations that share our mission as a nonprofit health plan,” said Eve Van de Wal, Utica regional president of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. “These awards complement our existing grants and sponsorships with agencies that work to enhance quality of life, including health status, in upstate New York.”

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is committed to supporting local organizations that improve community health. The company’s corporate giving follows all applicable laws and regulations and does not support funding organizations that conflict with its corporate mission, goals, policies or products.

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Utica region encompasses Clinton, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego and St. Lawrence counties.