A Message From Our President
This past year reminded us that change is inevitable.
Whether we are talking about the landscape, the people or anything in between — there were plenty of changes.
Some of it was easy. Some of it was challenging. And at times, it felt uncertain. But looking back, change also created space — to rethink how we do our work, to challenge ourselves and to try something new.
Because progress often means being willing to do things differently.
This report tells some of those stories. It highlights how our volunteers and partners work together in powerful ways to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. Together, we took risks, strengthened our partnerships and explored new ways to support the people and communities we serve. We’re proud of the work our partners continue to lead across Louisiana and are deeply grateful for the people who make it possible — those who show up, step in and stay committed to making a difference in their communities. That work matters. It’s what continues to move our state forward.
In this report, we also note that we were once again recognized by Points of Light as a member of The Civic 50, a reflection of that shared commitment to service. This honor also highlights the ways that the people of Louisiana show up for each other.
While we know there is still more change to come and more work to do, we remain confident in what’s possible when we continue this work together
With gratitude,
Michael Tipton
President, Louisiana Blue Foundation
Vice President, Community Relations
Employee Giving
Volunteering, Charitable Gifts and More
Improving the health and lives of Louisianians takes more than benefits and claims – it takes people.
In a year of change, our employees didn’t pause. They adapted and leaned into the changes, finding new ways to show up for the communities and causes they care about.
Through Team Blue, our employee volunteer program, employees continued to give their time, share their talents and support causes across the state — not just as volunteers, but as neighbors, advocates and partners.
Because when people are connected to a purpose, that impact goes further. It strengthens communities, builds relationships and brings our mission to life in ways that reach far beyond the workplace.
And while the ways we serve may evolve, one thing remains constant: our employees’ commitment to making Louisiana stronger.
38,000
hours of employee volunteerism
$3.7 Million
in charitable gifts reported by employees
Corporate Giving
Community Investments by Louisiana Blue
A lot changed this year, but our commitment to our communities remained the same.
At Louisiana Blue, we invest in organizations across the state doing the work every day — fighting food insecurity, improving educational opportunities, expanding access to care, responding to disasters and more.
In 2025, we invested $1.4 million in sponsorships and project funding to help expand the impact of our community partners.
Program Highlights
Million Meals for MLK
The inaugural Million Meals for MLK campaign launched in January 2025 to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service while addressing hunger during one of the most critical times of the year. The result was an extraordinary statewide show of generosity and collaboration that exceeded expectations and set up a strong foundation for the years ahead.
In its first year, the campaign helped deliver 2.2 million meals to families and individuals facing food insecurity across Louisiana. Louisianians came together through food drives, monetary donations and volunteer service to support the state’s five regional food banks: the Food Bank of Central Louisiana, Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana, Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana.
$1.4 Million
in giving to
Louisiana nonprofits
9 Million
points of service, including screenings, meals and more
Foundation Giving
Grants to Improve the Social Determinants of Health for All Louisianians
The Louisiana Blue Foundation is a nonprofit focused on improving the social determinants of health across our state — from access to education and housing to economic opportunity and community connection.
This year marked an important step forward for the Foundation.
By reintroducing ourselves as the Louisiana Blue Foundation, we’ve created a clearer connection between our work and the communities we serve and took a closer look at how we can better support that work.
We’ve also simplified our grant programs, making it easier to understand how we support new ideas, scale what works and invest in long-term change.
Innovation – Grants of up to $25,000 to support innovative, new projects that improve the health and well-being of Louisianians. Through this program, we encourage a research-based, scientific approach to philanthropy by testing ideas and exploring what works. The first step in that process is challenging the status quo with new approaches.
Impact – Grants of up to $100,000 to support nonprofit partners as they expand their impact and build on work that is already making a difference. These investments help grow proven programs, respond to community needs and strengthen efforts that improve the health and well-being of Louisianians.
Community Health Improvement – Grants of up to $1 million to support community coalitions working together to address complex health challenges across Louisiana. These investments focus on long-term, collaborative efforts that bring partners together, strengthen systems and create meaningful, community-wide change.
In 2025, we provided $3.8 million in grants to support our partners doing this work across the state.
The Foundation also continues to recognize people doing extraordinary good for Louisiana’s children with The Angel Award, a legacy program that provides $30,000 grants to each honoree’s nonprofit of choice.
2025 Grant Awards
-
Innovation Grants
- Capitol City Family Health Center to launch an Uber Health program that helps people get to medical appointments and access healthy food in the Baton Rouge area.
- Clarity Through Community to expand access to mental health and substance use support in rural communities by reducing stigma and improving care coordination.
- Methodist Health System Foundation to develop a sustainable model that brings healthcare services into schools, improving access for students while creating a pathway to train future healthcare workers.
- New Orleans Women’s Wellness to train doulas to support mothers before, during and after childbirth, improving outcomes for moms and babies.
- The Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans to create a central hub and support network that connects cancer patients across Louisiana to resources and peer support.
- The Family Tree Information, Education and Counseling Center to provide culturally tailored counseling and support for cancer patients and families in Acadiana.
- Tulane University to launch a regional health policy institute that brings together experts to improve healthcare decisions and outcomes across Louisiana and the Gulf South.
-
Impact Grants
- Agenda for Children to build a shared data system that helps providers coordinate care, track child development and ensure timely follow-up.
- Bastion Community of Resilience to strengthen services for veterans and their families by improving data systems and building a pipeline of trained healthcare workers.
- Baton Rouge Community College to expand nursing and allied health programs, helping address workforce shortages and improve access to healthcare careers.
- Baton Rouge Health District to strengthen training, support and retention for entry-level healthcare workers in the Baton Rouge area.
- Catholic Charities of Acadiana to pilot a supportive housing program for frequent users of emergency services, improving health outcomes and reducing chronic homelessness.
- Feeding Louisiana to provide emergency food assistance statewide through its network of food banks in response to SNAP benefit reductions, helping reduce hunger for Louisiana families.
- Foundation for a Better Louisiana to develop a statewide initiative that tracks key well-being indicators and helps leaders make more informed policy decisions.
- Mary’s Hands Network to launch hybrid doula trainings and build a sustainable model that expands access in rural communities.
- New Orleans Career Center to train and certify EMTs, creating career pathways for young people while helping address the EMS workforce shortage.
- Northshore College Enhancement Foundation to launch a patient navigation program that trains healthcare workers and improves care coordination for patients.
- Rebuilding Together New Orleans to coordinate home health support for seniors by connecting providers and community organizations.
- Reconcile New Orleans to strengthen programs for opportunity youth by improving data systems and outcomes like job placement and program completion.
- Saul’s Light Foundation to expand support for families with infants in the NICU through direct services, peer support and advocacy.
- Xavier University to create pathways for entry-level healthcare workers to become physician assistants, increasing diversity in the workforce and improving access to care in underserved communities.
-
Community Health Improvement Grants
- Children’s Bureau of New Orleans to expand a school-based mental health program that connects students to care, reduces stigma and builds a peer support workforce.
Program Highlights
$3.8 Million
in grants made to support health outcomes
3.9 Million
points of service, including screenings, meals and more
The Angel Award®
Honoring Everyday People Doing Extraordinary Good for Louisiana’s Children
To live healthy lives, children need safe places to live, learn and play. They need access to healthy food, guidance and educational opportunities. Across Louisiana, thousands of children lack the support they need to thrive. Thankfully, there are also thousands of everyday people working to make a difference in the lives of children.
The Angel Award® honors everyday people doing extraordinary good to meet the physical, emotional, creative or spiritual needs of Louisiana’s kids. Since 1995, the Foundation has recognized more than 250 of these outstanding individuals. Each award also provides much-needed resources — a $30,000 grant for each Angel’s nonprofit charity.
Featured Story
Meet Our 2025 Angels
Bonita Armour | Dry Prong
Bonita Armour is the founder and president of B22 Sports Complex, a community hub in Grant Parish that brings people of all ages together through fitness, education, recreation and opportunities.
Divine Bailey-Nicholas | Opelousas
Divine Bailey-Nicholas is the founder and chief executive officer of Community Birth Companion, a nonprofit dedicated to improving infant and maternal health.
Barry Jackson | Baton Rouge
Barry Jackson is a recently retired teacher and still active coach who has dedicated decades to guiding young people toward success both in the classroom and beyond.
Rheneisha Robertson | New Orleans
Rheneisha Roberson is the chief executive officer of Covenant House New Orleans, a refuge and resource for youth and young adults under 22 who are overcoming homelessness, abuse, trafficking and other crises.
Dr. Dawn Stanfield | Monroe
Dr. Dawn Stanfield is the program director and special education coordinator at the Academy for Collaborative Education (ACE), a specialized charter school serving students with autism from kindergarten through sixth grade.
DeWanna Tarver | Lake Charles
DeWanna Tarver is the driving force behind DeWanna’s Community Closet, an organization that makes sure students have what they need to succeed in school and beyond.
Kelli Todd | Shreveport
Kelli Todd is executive director of Volunteers for Youth Justice (VYJ), an organization that stands up for vulnerable kids, supports caregivers and helps families navigate difficult times.
Cherry and Sherry Wilmore | Houma
Cherry and Sherry Wilmore are the cofounders of CHeriSH Times Two, where they’ve built a safe and steady source of support for those stepping into adulthood without family by their side.
Matthew Vicknair | Baton Rouge
Matthew Vicknair is a senior Value Based Operations analyst in Louisiana Blue’s Health Services division. Vicknair is also a volunteer and the board treasurer of Front Yard Bikes, a community bike shop that teaches young people how to fix and maintain bikes.
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
Mother Teresa