INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – August 1, 2011
Students across the state of Indiana will begin the school year with new backpacks and school supplies because of a donation from MDwise, Indiana’s only not-for-profit managed health care organization serving Hoosiers on Medicaid.
The donations are part of “MDwise Tools for Schools,” a MDwise program providing backpacks filled with notebooks, pencils, erasers and crayons to schools and organizations throughout Indiana. Now in its second year, Tools for Schools has provided more than 10,000 supply-filled backpacks to schools and back-to-school events across Indiana in 2011.
The supply-filled backpacks will be provided to the following organizations for handing out at back-to-school events:
-
Covering Kids and Families in Central Indiana and Lake, Allen, Delaware and LaPorte Counties
-
HealthLinc Community Health Centers in Michigan City, Valparaiso and Knox
-
Community Development Institute Head Start Program in Delaware County
-
Shalom Health Care Center in Indianapolis
-
East Chicago Community Health Center
In addition, Elston Middle School in Michigan City, Terre Town and Ouabache Elementary Schools in Terre Haute and the will receive backpacks for their students as part of the “Tools for Schools” donation.
Charlotte MacBeth, chief executive officer of MDwise, said, “As a statewide health care-focused organization, we recognize that a good education is an important part of every child’s overall health and well-being. We hope these new backpacks and fresh school supplies remind these young Hoosier students that we, at MDwise, care about their educational experience, and encourage continued hard work toward academic success.”
MDwise Tools for Schools is part of Ms. Bluebelle’s Club for Kids, MDwise’s comprehensive program that promotes the healthy well-being of Hoosier children through special activities and outreach. In 2010, the Tools for Schools program provided more than 6,800 supply-filled backpacks to schools and back-to-school events across Indiana.