L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise Unveil New Community Resource Center in Metro L.A., Mark Opening with Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Food Pantry

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan have added a fifth Community Resource Center to its growing network of jointly-operated resource centers throughout Los Angeles County. The Community Resource Center in Metro L.A. – located at 1233 S. Western Avenue in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles – will serve one of the most densely populated and ethnically diverse districts in the city.

To inaugurate the new resource center – and in an effort to address food insecurity during the pandemic – L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise are hosting a drive-thru and walk-up food pantry at the facility's premises on December 4 from 9am to 12pm. The free community event is open to everyone. All safety guidelines recommended by public health officials will be adhered to.   

"With all the challenges and uncertainties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we could not be more proud to keep advancing this partnership with Blue Shield Promise to provide an array of useful services and resources during this critical time," said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. "The top goal of this collaboration has always been to make our communities healthier, and this new Community Resource Center helps to make that vision a reality."

The newly minted resource center, which officially opened its doors to the public on November 9, is the newest addition to the health plans' network, which will eventually feature 14 Community Resource Centers as part of a five-year, $146 million commitment announced in September 2019.

"We are thrilled to be opening our 5^th jointly-operated Community Resource Center with L.A. Care," said Kristen Cerf, President and CEO of Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan. "We are committed to being a resource and advocate for social needs and outcomes to positively impact the health of the communities we serve, helping to alleviate additional burden the community members may be facing during this unprecedented time."  

In light of the ongoing pandemic, the Community Resource Center will offer select services by appointment only. Hours of operation will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The center will have staff on-site to help with member services support, enrollment in local and state assistance programs, and support finding a range of resources such as food and housing assistance. The Community Resource Center will also offer free Wi-Fi for anyone needing telehealth services.  

To learn more about the Community Resource Centers, including how to make an appointment, visit activehealthyinformed.org.

About L.A. Care Health Plan

L.A. Care Health Plan serves more than 2.2 million members in Los Angeles County, making it the largest publicly operated health plan in the country. L.A. Care offers four health coverage plans including Medi-Cal, L.A. Care Covered™, L.A. Care Cal MediConnect and the PASC-SEIU Homecare Workers Plan, all dedicated to being accountable and responsive to members. As a public entity, L.A. Care's mission is to provide access to quality health care for L.A. County's vulnerable and low-income communities, and to support the safety net required to achieve that purpose. L.A. Care prioritizes quality, access and inclusion, elevating health care for all of L.A. County. For more information, visit lacare.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan

Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan is a managed care organization, wholly owned by Blue Shield of California, offering Medi-Cal, Cal MediConnect, Medicare Advantage HMO, and Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans. It is led by healthcare professionals with a "members-first" philosophy and committed to building a quality network of providers and partnering with community organizations for more than 400,000 members. For more information about Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, please visit www.blueshieldca.com/promise. For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit www.news.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

Media Contacts:

Penny Griego

(310) 613-8309

pgriego@lacare.org

Mashi Nyssen

(626) 436-4345

mashi.nyssen@blueshieldca.com

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SOURCE Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan