Blue Shield of California Foundation Awards $5.7 Million to Nonprofits Statewide; Total Giving is $30 Million in 2005.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Blue Shield of California Foundation today announced grants of $5.7 million to nonprofit organizations that provide health-related services to the state's most vulnerable residents. These grants bring the foundation's giving to $30 million in 2005, making it one of the leading healthcare grantmakers in California.

"The Blue Shield of California Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that strengthen the safety net for our state's most vulnerable residents while we work toward a goal of affordable, quality health care for all Californians," said Crystal Hayling, president of Blue Shield of California Foundation.

The foundation's areas of focus are preventing domestic violence, increasing access to health care, and improving the delivery of care through advances in medical and information technology. Of the $5.7 million in grants:

--$1.6 million will go to programs aimed at combating domestic violence. Most of the funding will be distributed to state and local programs that provide domestic violence education programs, therapy for the victims of violence and employee training on domestic violence issues. Of the domestic violence prevention giving, $424,000 will go to the Los Angeles-based California Women's Law Center to provide battered women's shelters with legal support.

--$2.7 million to increase the accessibility and affordability of health care, especially for kids. Of the health access grants, donations of $1 million in San Bernardino and Riverside, $500,000 in Santa Clara and $200,000 in San Mateo will fund Healthy Kids programs in those counties.

--$1.4 million to fund programs aimed at improving health care through advances in medical technology. Of that, $313,000 will be used in San Diego County emergency rooms to build a secure electronic messaging system designed to help uninsured patients obtain some form of health care coverage.

Blue Shield of California Foundation was formed by Blue Shield of California, a not-for-profit corporation with more than 3.3 million members, 4,300 employees and 20 offices throughout California. The Blue Shield of California Foundation provides charitable contributions, conducts research and supports programs with an emphasis on reducing the number of uninsured, using technology to promote health and preventing domestic violence. For more information, visit the Blue Shield of California website at www.mylifepath.com or the Foundation at www.blueshieldcafoundation.org.