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Aetna Awarded $590,000 to Non-Profits in Pennsylvania

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^{Published in Health and Fitness on Thursday, January 29th 2009 at 7:38 GMT, Last Modified on 2009-01-29 07:39:39 by Market Wire}  

BLUE BELL, Pa.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Aetna (NYSE: AET) and the Aetna Foundation in 2008 awarded community grants and sponsorships in Pennsylvania totaling $590,000, with a particular focus on promoting wellness and targeting health and economic disparities.

Among the community grants awarded were:

• $125,000 to the American Heart Association;
• $70,000 to the Enon Coulter Community Development Corporation;
• $50,000 to the Kimmel Center;
• $40,000 to Penn Asian Senior Services;
• $40,000 to the Esperanza Health Center;
• $30,000 to the Maternity Care Coalition;
• $25,000 to the Temple University Health System;
• $25,000 to Congreso de Latinos Unidos;
• $25,000 to the American Diabetes Association;
• $25,000 to Nueva Esperanza;
• $20,000 to Mercy Suburban Hospital;
• $20,000 to ChesPenn Health Services;
• $10,000 to Landis & Company Theatre of Magic;
• $10,000 to Lehigh Valley Hospital;
• $10,000 to Lincoln University;
• $10,000 to Living Beyond Breast Cancer;
• $10,000 to the Philadelphia Youth Network;
• $10,000 to the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network;
• $5,000 to the American Cancer Society;
• $5,000 to the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Montgomery County;
• $5,000 to Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania;
• $5,000 to the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project;
• $4,750 to Mount Saint Joseph Academy;
• $3,500 to Philabundance;
• $2,500 to the March of Dimes Foundation;
• $2,500 to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness;
• $1,250 to the Katie Samson Foundation; and
• $500 to Opportunity House.

The $125,000 grant to the American Heart Association helped fund the "START! Philadelphia" program, which is part of a nationwide corporate call to action. Physical inactivity is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and obesity, and this program encourages local companies to invest in a healthier workforce.

Aetna's $70,000 grant to the Enon Coulter Community Development Corporation will help fund a Philadelphia youth center, where children living below the poverty line will receive guidance and counseling to help them stay in school and succeed.

The majority of Aetna's other Pennsylvania grants focused on programs to target health care disparities and promote healthy-living messages through various community and health care organizations.

"Pennsylvania is a very important state for Aetna, both as an insurer and an employer," said Patrick Young, president of Aetna's Mid-Atlantic Region small and middle market business. "We're using our resources to help make a difference, promoting wellness and giving assistance to less-fortunate members of the community."

Aetna provides health benefits to more than 1.1 million people in Pennsylvania.

About the Aetna Foundation

The Aetna Foundation is the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of Aetna Inc. Founded in 1972, the Foundation seeks to help build healthy communities by funding initiatives that improve the quality of life where Aetna employees and customers work and live.

The Foundation's giving is focused on health, diversity and employee community involvement, with broader programs in our home state of Connecticut. Since 1980, the Aetna and the Aetna Foundation have contributed over $334 million in grants, sponsorships and social investments. In 2007, Aetna and the Aetna Foundation contributed $24.5 million nationally.

Additional information about the Foundation is available about the Aetna Foundation is available at [ www.aetna.com/foundation ]

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 37.2 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see [ www.aetna.com ].