Touchdowns For Families Returns

Good Luck card NY Giants Team Up with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Children’s Aid and Family Services To Help Vulnerable Foster Children in New Jersey

Vulnerable children and families will once again benefit each time the New York Giants score a touchdown this NFL season as Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ), the New York Giants and Children’s Aid and Family Services extend the “Touchdowns for Families” program into its second consecutive year.
For every touchdown the Giants score in the 2008/2009 season, Horizon BCBSNJ will donate $500.00 for Children’s Aid and Family Services. Donations will increase to $1000 for every touchdown scored in the playoffs and $2,500 for every score in the Super Bowl.

In its inaugural season, the Touchdowns for Families program raised $35,000.

“To us, the Giants are champions both on and off the field,” says Bob Jones, Ph.D., President & CEO, Children’s Aid and Family Services “Thanks to the continued support of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, many fragile children will receive the care they desperately need. Additionally, the generous grant from the Giants allows the agency to challenge the community to help us find foster parents for the children in the agency’s care who are waiting for a family to call their own.”

The partnership is being formally announced today, Tuesday, September 2 – just two days before the Giants begin defending their world title in the nationally-televised season opener.

Larry Altman, Horizon BCBSNJ’s Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Communications adds: “We are delighted to once again be helping children and families through the Touchdowns for Families program. The program is making a profound difference in the lives of those served by Children’s Aid and Family Services. We are all rooting for the Giants to have a successful, touchdown-packed season.”

Proceeds from the program will be used to provide a range of medical support services for medically needy infants, and children with special needs in the care of the agency. In addition to Horizon BCBSNJ’s contributions, the Giants are making a commitment of their own. The team has independently committed an additional $5,000 to support Children’s Aid and Family Services’ foster care and adoptive families recruitment outreach

Before they take the field for their first game, the Giants will be receiving a colorful "Good Luck" card featuring artwork by the children who attend the agency’s Turrell Child Care & Early Learning Center. A similar card was given to the Giants before last year’s Super Bowl and brought the team some luck, judging from the results of the game. “We like to believe our children were the Giants ‘good luck charm’ last season,” added Dr. Jones.

Based in Paramus, Children’s Aid and Family Services maintains group homes for children and adolescents who can no longer live with their birth families for a variety of reasons, most commonly abuse and neglect, providing nurturing environments that encourage full participation in local community, civic, and religious activities. The agency works to place children with foster and adoptive parents; it also provides housing and financial support for young adults aged 18-21 who have “aged out” of foster care and need a place to live while they attend school, begin a job, and become financially independent.

Well known as a resource for children in need of homes, Children’s Aid and Family Services also actively supports a number of community initiatives which help families in a wide variety of ways. Their Baby Basics program provides nutritional formula and diapers to low-income parents of children age newborn through 2 years. The Turrell Child Care & Early Learning Center offers high quality child care to families from all backgrounds, in addition to offering scholarships to children of low-income parents. Additionally, the agency’s senior program provides guidance and counseling to the frail elderly, and their caregivers, to help navigate the services available to them.

About Children’s Aid and Family Services.

Children’s Aid and Family Services is one of the largest regional, nonprofit human services organizations serving northern New Jersey. The agency is fully accredited and has served the community for more than 100 years. Its mission is to preserve, protect and, when needed, provide families. Motivated by compassion for vulnerable children, young adults, frail elderly and their families, it provides high-quality and innovative services that meet their social, educational and emotional needs. For more information, visit www.cafsnj.org.

About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is the oldest and largest health insurer in the state serving over 3.6 million members. Horizon BCBSNJ is New Jersey's only not-for-profit, health services corporation and is headquartered in Newark with offices in Wall, Mt. Laurel, and West Trenton.

Horizon BCBSNJ provides a broad array of health and dental insurance products and services for individuals and small and large companies, including national companies headquartered in New Jersey. Horizon BCBSNJ is committed to improving the health care experience for all the communities we serve as well as helping our members become and stay healthy.