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JARC receives grant to fund their Careers in Manufacturing Program

CHICAGO — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and NASCAR Chicago Street Race have teamed up to drive workforce development in the city. This week, BCBSIL and NASCAR presented a $20,000 grant to the Jane Addams Resource Corporation. JARC provides high-quality skills training and support services to help lower-income and unemployed workers become self-sufficient.

As part of its efforts to improve health equity across Illinois, BCBSIL provides support to community organizations dedicated to upskilling, career pathing and providing resources like education and training to help individuals build stable careers.

“Our partnership with NASCAR is driven by the communities we serve,” said Brian Snell, President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. “Our goal is to improve the overall wellbeing of our state. A person’s physical health is based on many factors, one of them being opportunities for a good-paying, sustainable job. By investing in organizations like JARC, we are able to help build physical and financial security for those individuals.”

JARC’s job training programs provide low-income adults with technical skills training and supportive services. JARC targets strategic skills gaps in the manufacturing industry, including computer numerical control, press brake and welding.

“NASCAR is proud to stand side-by-side with our partners at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois as we support organizations like the Jane Addams Resource Corporation who make such a difference in our community each and every day,” said Julie Giese, NASCAR Chicago President. “Today’s investment in JARC’s critical mission represents a continuation of NASCAR’s ongoing commitment to the Chicago community, by supporting vital job training programs that can have a generational impact on Chicago-area families.”

For more information, visit NASCARChicago. 

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About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is the largest health insurer in Illinois, serving nearly 9 million members and operating in all 102 Illinois counties. BCBSIL is a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.

For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Facebook.

Media Contact

BCBSIL
Tricia Ament
918-261-7548
media@bcbsil.com

NASCAR
Jake DeGregorio
508-414-8853
jdigregorio@nascar.com