Newsroom | 2026 News Releases

Funding supports 121 programs advancing health and well-being across Illinois

CHICAGO — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois has awarded nearly $4.5 million in 2026-27 Blue Impact^℠ grants to 121 community-based organizations. These non-profits work to improve care access and address social drivers that influence health outcomes for people statewide. 

The Blue Impact grant program supports initiatives that advance long-term community health solutions. Grant recipients were selected through an evaluation process focused on measurable impact, sustainability and alignment with BCBSIL’s mission to support healthier communities across the state. 

“For 90 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois has worked alongside organizations that know their communities best,” said BCBSIL President Brian Snell. “Blue Impact grants build on that legacy by investing in proven local solutions that create healthier neighborhoods, expand opportunities and help people across Illinois thrive.”

Blue Impact program centers on five pillars that influence health and well being:  

Economic Opportunity and Stability: Addressing issues such as poverty, employment barriers, providing good jobs and upskilling.  

Nutrition: Supporting efforts to reduce hunger and increase access to nutritious food. 

Neighborhood and Built Environment: Focusing on affordable, healthy housing, as well as transportation and physical activity access.

Locally Defined Health Solutions: Addressing hyperlocal health and human service needs.   

Optimal Health Outcomes: Helping close care gaps, specifically in immunizations, diabetes care, cardiovascular care, behavioral health, early detection cancer screening and maternal and infant health.  

In the past five years, BCBSIL has awarded more than $20 million through the major grants program to community organizations statewide. In addition to Blue Impact grants, BCBSIL also supports communities through sponsorships, in-kind donations, employee volunteerism and disaster relief. 

2026-27 Blue Impact grantees include: 

Economic Opportunity and Stability

• After School Matters
• African American Christian Foundation
• Austin Coming Together
• Contact Ministries
• Center For Enriched Living
• Chicago House
• Council For Jewish Elderly
• Good Samaritan Ministries A Project Of Carbondale Interfaith Council
• Growing Home Inc.
• Inner-city Muslim Action Network
• Jane Addams Resource Corporation
• Land Of Lincoln Legal Aid
• Lazarus House
• Mercy Communities
• Outreach Community Ministries Inc.
• Pioneer Center For Human Services
• Prairie State Legal Services Inc.
• Pullman Tech Workshop
• Ray Graham Association For People With Disabilities
• Rush University Medical Center C/O West Side United
• Saint Leonard's Ministries
• The Cara Program
• The Immigration Project
• Transitional Living Services Dba Veterans Path To Hope
• Tri-county Urban League Inc.
• Urban Growers Collective Inc.
• YBLC Inc.
• YWCA Of The Quad Cities
• Zion West Enterprise NFP 

Locally Defined Health Solutions

• A Long Walk Home
• A Safe Haven Foundation
• Access Community Health Network
• BEDS Inc.
• BUILD Incorporated
• Blackroots Alliance
• Bridge Teen Center NFP
• Bridge Communities Inc.
• Chinese Mutual Aid Association
• Connections For The Homeless Inc.
• Chicago Workers Collaborative NFP
• Community Health Care Clinic Inc.
• Consumer Credit Counseling Service Of Northern Illinois
• Dupage PADS Inc.
• Emmaus Ministries
• Enlace Chicago
• Fenix Family Health Center Inc. (AKA Fenix Centro De Salud)
• Focus Fairies Mentoring
• Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association
• Housing Forward
• Healthcare Alternative Systems Inc.
• Illinois Coalition For Immigrant And Refugee Rights
• Illinois Prison Project
• Independence Health & Therapy
• John Howard Association Of Illinois
• Kankakee Area LGBQT Network
• Lake County Crisis Center For The Prevention And Treatment Of Domestic Violence DBA A Safe Place
• Latinos Progresando
• Mano A Mano Family Resource Center
• Mutual Ground Inc.
• PADS Lake County
• Pride In The Pews Nfp Inc.
• Role Model Movement Inc. Nfp
• Rape Advocacy, Counseling, & Education Services
• Sista Afya Community Care, NFP
• Table Of Life Ministries
• The Community Wellness Project
• The Resurrection Project
• Vision For Chicago
• YMCA Of Metropolitan Chicago 

Neighborhood and Built Environment 

• C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation
• Center For Housing And Health
• Embarras River Basin Agency Inc.
• Housing Opportunities & Maintenance For The Elderly (H.O.M.E.)
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation
• Sola Gratia Farm
• South Suburban PADS 

Nutrition

• Alicia’s House Inc.
• American Indian Center Inc.
• College Of Lake County Foundation
• Chicago Coalition To End Homelessness
• Cultivate Collective
• Dion's Chicago Dream
• Dream Center Peoria, NFP
• Fulcrum Farm Foundation
• Global Garden Refugee Training Farm
• Greater Chicago Food Depository
• Herrin House Of Hope
• L'arche Chicago
• New Life Centers Of Chicagoland Nfp
• Northern Illinois Food Bank
• Neighborhood House Association
• River Bend Food Reservoir
• Star Farm Chicago
• Teamwork Englewood
• Vivery Community
• Young Mens Educational Network 

Optimal Health Outcomes 

• Asian Health Coalition
• Aurora African American Health Coalition
• Breakthrough T1D
• Chicago Family Health Center Inc.
• Center On Halsted
• Chestnut Health Systems Inc.
• Community Health And Emergency Services Inc.
• Equal Hope
• Erie Family Health Centers
• Friends Of The Highwood Public Library
• Indo American Center Inc.
• Institute For Nonviolence Chicago
• Juvenile Protective Association
• Lawndale Christian Health Center
• Lawndale Christian Legal Center
• Mcdermott Center Dba Haymarket Center
• Mercy Housing Lakefront
• Metropolitan Family Services
• Nourishing Hope
• Rosecrance Foundation
• SIHF Healthcare
• The Birthwork Foundation
• The Josselyn Center NFP
• Wellness West
• Will-Grundy Medical Clinic 

###

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is the largest health insurer in Illinois, serving 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.

Media Contact

Tricia Ament
media@bcbsil.com