Individualized exercise and nutrition for cancer patients, medication safety education for older adults, and early intervention and prevention screenings for at-risk children are among the areas of need being addressed by grants just awarded by The Blue Ribbon Foundation of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Among the grants recently approved by The Foundation's board of directors, which provided $67,329 in funding to regional nonprofit programs that will serve more than 2,600 individuals was a $5,000 grant to volunteers at Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries to transport seniors to medical appointments and help them with grocery shopping to ensure that their basic health needs are met. The grant will help volunteers of this organization continue to serve 74 older adults in lower Luzerne and Carbon counties in the coming year.Also In Monroe County, The Foundation's grant of $10,000 to the Pocono Alliance will help improve the quality of life among economically at-risk families through the Bridges Out of Poverty program. As part of the program, identified families complete an intensive 22-week training module called "Getting Ahead" where they create a life plan with achievable goals to overcome the barriers to self-sufficiency. With Foundation funding, 15 Monroe County families will participate in Getting Ahead training in the coming year."These grants will help our community health partners serve at-risk individuals and families who are facing health and safety issues," said Cynthia A. Yevich, executive director of The Blue Ribbon Foundation. "We are pleased to be in a position to support a variety of critical programs."For more information on The Blue Ribbon Foundation's upcoming funding cycles, application deadlines and eligibility criteria, please visit

www.bcnepa.com click on Community Initiatives then select The Blue Ribbon Foundation tab.