Fallon Community Health Plan employees “pay it forward”
Worcester, Mass., November 1, 2011―Fallon Community Health Plan (FCHP) has taken its charitable giving one step further.
Each year, since 2007, the company has randomly selected 30 employees, giving each person $500 to donate to a charitable organization or cause of their own choosing. The program, called Pay it Forward, was established in 2007 in recognition of the company’s 30th anniversary.
“Back in 2007, we wanted to recognize our 30th anniversary in a very special way and the program was so well received by employees and the organizations to which they donated, that we’ve decided to keep it going” said Patrick Hughes, FCHP President and CEO.
Hughes said the annual gesture presents an opportunity to make it easier for employees of the organization to “lead by example.”
“We’ve always taken our mission of making our communities healthy very seriously,” he added. “And, we encourage our employees to take this mission to heart—and so many of them already do. By doing this special program each year, we give some of them an even greater opportunity to help support the communities in which they live and work.”
“Gestures such as this are not only appreciated by the giver and receiver, but they’re also contagious and can help spark a long-lasting personal commitment to charitable giving and community involvement,” Hughes said.
The idea is based on the novel and movie, “Pay It Forward,” in which a social studies teacher challenges his students to come up with a plan that will change the world through direct action.
For 2011, the FCHP employees and the charitable causes to which they donated are:
Leonora Becoat – Abby’s House
Jennifer Twum – Abby’s House
Ray Schmidt – American Red Cross of Central Mass.
Anna Farnsworth – Artists for Humanities
Lori Slack – Be Like Brit: Poorest of the Poor Fund
Tina Pickens – Boys & Girls Club of Worcester
James Gabel – Boy Scout Pack 25 Princeton
Brenda Bowen – Brain Injury Association of Mass.
Robin Byrne – Canines for Disabled Kids
Nicole Noe – Charlton Public Library
Catherine Manning – Dog Orphans Humane Society and Sterling Animal Shelter
Valbona Lamaj – Friendly House
Debra Rooney – Heart Pillow Program
Mark Lovejoy – Homes for Our Troops
Debora Mawdsley – Joslin Diabetes Center
Beverly Hayward - Mike Ellessar Memorial Fund-Unibank, Sutton, MA
Kristy Surowaniec - Make-A-Wish Foundation of MA and RI
Krista Angney - National Kidney Foundation and Rachel’s Table
Jodi Colby - Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, Inc.
Thaddeus Iwueke - Partners in Charity Appeal
Michael Waterman – Second Chance Animal Shelter
Maria Daly – Sherry’s House
Jill Goulet - Springfield Shriners Children's Hospital
Judie Moloney - The Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center
Andrew Zorzi - The Worcester Animal Rescue League
Kristen Parker - The Worcester Animal Rescue League
Mike Diggins - U.S. Adoption Solutions
Katie M. Reed - Worcester County Food Bank
Christina Meriano - Youth Opportunities, Inc.
Christine Cassidy
christine.cassidy@fchp.org
About Fallon Community Health Plan
Founded in 1977, Fallon Community Health Plan is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit health care services organization. From traditional health insurance products available throughout Massachusetts for all populations, to innovative health care programs and services for independent seniors, FCHP supports the diverse and changing needs of all those it serves. FCHP has consistently ranked among the nation’s top health plans, and is the only health plan in Massachusetts to have been awarded “Excellent” Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for its HMO, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid products. For more information, visit
fchp.org
.