Comfort Cases Announces Collaboration with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to Support Indiana Foster Children by Providing Travel Bags and Essential Items

Anthem, the first corporate sponsor of Comfort Cases, will donate $25,000 to help fund the distribution of Comfort Cases duffel bags to improve care and well-being for foster children throughout Indianapolis

May 07, 2018 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

INDIANAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Comfort Cases, a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring children in foster care feel a sense of dignity and compassion, has announced a collaboration with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (Anthem.) Comfort Cases, with Anthem’s support, will provide packed duffel bags to incoming Indiana children in foster care.

As part of the program, and in conjunction with May being National Foster Care Month, Comfort Cases will offer age- and gender-appropriate bags lovingly packed with brand new pajamas, blankets, journals, pens, coloring books, crayons and toiletries and previously loved books and stuffed animals for some of the thousands of Indiana youth currently in foster care. Sadly, many of these children carry any belongings they have in trash bags. Through this program, Comfort Cases is working to ensure children no longer need trash bags! By offering children Comfort Cases as they transition between homes, we hope they will feel dignity and comfort in knowing people care about and support them.

“As a child growing up through the foster care system, I had first-hand experience with the emotional trauma and stress placed on these children who have to move from place to place carrying their belongings in a trash bag,” said Rob Scheer, Founder and President of Comfort Cases. “Through our organization and with the support of companies like Anthem, we’re able to work with young people to ensure they have a proper bag, filled with essential items, which will allow them to travel with dignity as they search for a forever home.”

As part of the collaboration, Anthem will donate $25,000 to Comfort Cases and will work with Indiana-based foster organizations to help distribute the duffel bags.

“Anthem’s support of Comfort Cases exemplifies our commitment to making a positive difference in Hoosiers’ lives by providing access to health care and support services to those most in need,” said Kristen Metzger, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicaid Plan President. “By providing youth in foster care with the physical and emotional support they need, we are able to help improve their quality of life and well-being. It’s essential we continue to work together as a community to address the needs of our most vulnerable youth ensuring all have access to simple, high quality healthcare services.”

ABOUT COMFORT CASES:

Rob Scheer founded Comfort Cases to help children in foster care feel a sense of dignity and self-worth as they make difficult transitions from home to home. Rob, a former foster kid himself and now an adoptive father of four children from foster care, is dedicated to helping by providing “Comfort Cases” – backpacks and duffel bags lovingly filled with brand new pajamas, blankets, journals, pens, coloring books, crayons and toiletries and previously loved books and stuffed animals. Sadly, youth in foster care often carry any belongings they have to call their own in trash bags. Comfort Cases’ mantra? “No More Trash Bags!” Rob shares his difficult story to raise awareness and support – and to help children in foster care believe they too can overcome difficult beginnings. Rob also endeavors to erode the stigma of spending time in foster care.

Rob and Reece Scheer founded Comfort Cases in 2013. With an army of volunteers, the charity has delivered Cases to more than 30,000 children in foster care to date, reaching 34 states and Washington, D.C. But nearly half a million children are navigating foster care in the United States, and the Scheers hope to eventually provide a Comfort Case to every child in need.

ABOUT ANTHEM BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD:

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield works with the state of Indiana to offer the Hoosier Healthwise (HHW), Hoosier Care Connect (HCC) and Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) health insurance programs for 435,000 Medicaid beneficiaries. HHW is a health care program for children up to age 19 and pregnant women that covers medical care like doctor visits, prescription medicine, mental health care, dental care, hospitalizations, and surgeries. HCC offers individuals who are aged 65 years and older, blind, or disabled and who are also not eligible for Medicare health plans that provide the most appropriate care based upon individualized needs. HIP covers residents age 19 through 64 including low-income families. Anthem has administered benefits and services for HHW since 2007, HCC since 2015 and HIP since 2008.