LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Several thousand green-shirted Humana employees will volunteer in Louisville on Aug. 21, marking the anniversary of the company’s founding, demonstrating Humana’s commitment to its hometown and providing employees with a way to connect to each other and to their communities.
The dedicated day of service reinforces the company’s commitment to the communities Humana serves and operates in. The kick-off event in Humana’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky launches a nationwide “Month of Impact” with a goal of generating $10 million of collective impact to local communities where Humana’s employees live and work. The 30-day initiative will run through Sept. 21 and includes financial donations, local service projects, food drives and Humana Foundation grants to Louisville Urban League, Metro United Way and more.
“Advocating for the well-being of our communities is a role we take seriously,” said Jim Rechtin, Humana Chief Executive Officer. “That’s why we give on average $75.5 million dollars in charitable contributions each year through Humana and the Humana Foundation. It’s also why we launched Humana Community Day, which lets us work side by side with our hometown neighbors in a shared commitment to health.”
On Humana Community Day, employees will volunteer for three service projects tied to the company’s purpose of helping people live healthy and happy, including:
- Healthy Nutrition: Thousands of employees will work in partnership with U.S. Hunger to address the local food insecurity crisis, which affects an estimated one in seven Kentucky residents. Volunteers will assemble one million meal kits at the KFC Yum! Center for distribution to community members in Louisville and Lexington.
- Healthy Environment: Volunteers will spend the day cleaning up the Waterfront Park and helping to test the quality of the water distributed throughout the region in partnership with Kentucky Waterways Alliance. Additionally, the Humana Foundation announced a $600,000 grant to help transform a neglected area of the 22-acre urban park, which is a hub of nature and recreation for the city of Louisville – and physical and mental wellness for its residents.
- Healthy Activity: At the Norton Sports and Learning Center, employees will support an “In the Kitchen” nutrition-focused event where they will help Louisville residents learn about healthy nutrition and connect them with valuable community resources. Additionally, community members can try the new pickleball courts funded by the Humana Foundation. This event is open to the public from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Aug. 21.
"Profound impact can be achieved through community engagement and collaboration,” said Rick Whitted, CEO of U.S. Hunger. “By leading initiatives like this, Humana demonstrates its commitment to being a leader in healthcare and serving communities beyond traditional medical care to creatively address social drivers of health like food insecurity. This event exemplifies our shared dedication to fostering healthier and more resilient communities.”
“For more than 60 years, Humana has shown its commitment to Kentucky by providing health coverage and clinical care to some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “We’re focused on building our new Kentucky home, where our communities thrive and our families live happier, healthier lives. Humana, with its month-long, $10 million goal, has been a great partner in these efforts.”
Humana’s community impact expands well beyond those utilizing its insurance and healthcare services. Humana employees and the Humana Foundation regularly give time and financial support to aid community-based organizations; most recently, 2,000 U.S. employees contributed $800,000 to nonprofits of choice on a Double Match Day in March 2024. The Foundation will announce its next round of grants in Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana and Texas this fall, following its award of $1 million in Health Equity Research Grants and nearly $13 million in innovative programs advancing nutrition and mental health late last year.
“Humana’s connection to Louisville is quite special and when you rally an enthusiastic employee base behind the intersection of your business expertise and community connections, you can achieve amazing things," said Tiffany Benjamin, CEO of The Humana Foundation. "That’s the power of Humana’s giving that drives the tangible impact we’re committed to sustaining in Louisville.”
About Humana
Humana Inc. is committed to putting health first – for our teammates, our customers, and our company. Through our Humana insurance services, and our CenterWell health care services, we strive to make it easier for the millions of people we serve to achieve their best health – delivering the care and service they need, when they need it. These efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, Medicaid, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large. Learn more about what we offer at Humana.com and at CenterWell.com.
About the Humana Foundation
The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. and is focused on health equity, working to eliminate unjust, avoidable and unnecessary barriers in health and healthcare. The Foundation fosters evidence-based collaborations and investments that help people in underserved communities live connected, healthy lives. As a steward of good health, the Foundation creates healthy emotional connections for people and communities and is shaping a healthier approach to nutrition to support lifelong well-being. For more information, visit humanafoundation.org.
