500 Allen County students receive donation of drawstring backpacks and supplies from MDwise

8/1/2014

INDIANAPOLIS – In its fifth year, the MDwise Tools for Schools program is donating more than 10,000 drawstring backpacks filled with notebooks, pencils, erasers and crayons to students at back-to-school events across Indiana. Locally, 500 Allen County students will be receiving donations.

This year, MDwise backpacks are being provided to the following Allen County organizations for distribution at back-to-school events:

Covering Kids and Families of Allen County
Family Practice Center in Fort Wayne

Since 2009, Indiana’s only not-for-profit managed health care organization, MDwise, has made a commitment to Indiana students through its Tools for Schools program, donating backpacks filled with supplies to deserving children. In 2014, MDwise will have donated more than 50,000 supply-filled backpacks across the state.

“When we launched our Tools for Schools program five years ago, we did so because we recognize that a good education is important for every young Hoosier student,” said Charlotte MacBeth, chief executive officer of MDwise. “I am thrilled that we’ve been able to donate more than 50,000 supply-filled backpacks to students across our state in the last five years. We hope that by continuing to provide students with much-needed school supplies, we can help contribute to their overall mental, emotional and academic success.”

Through its Tools for Schools program, MDwise offers a solution for families that need assistance purchasing much-needed school supplies. Because children spend a majority of their time growing up in school, MDwise strives to make classroom experiences as meaningful and constructive as possible by ensuring students have the tools they need to learn.

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.

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About MDwise

MDwise is an Indiana-licensed nonprofit health maintenance organization offering health care benefits to 300,000 Medicaid members. Since 1994 MDwise has provided access to compassionate, high-quality, coordinated health care and education to Medicaid members in communities throughout Indiana.

MDwise is a provider-owned health plan with a large network of doctors, specialists and hospitals located throughout the state. By meeting the basic requirements of the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA’s) rigorous standards for consumer protection and quality improvement, MDwise was awarded NCQA’s accreditation status of Accredited for service and clinical quality. Ninety-seven percent of MDwise members surveyed would recommend MDwise to their family and friends. For more information, visit MDwise.org.

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