SAN ANTONIO, TX (November 28, 2023) – Community First Health Plans, Inc. (Community First) is proud to be awarded the Alamo Area Council of Governments’ (AACOG) Community/Non-Profit Project of the Year for 2023. They were selected specifically for their Community First Food Pantry initiative.
Since 1974, the AACOG Regional Awards has recognized individuals, organizations, and projects across the region for their dedication and work to enhance the quality of life of Alamo Area residents. The Community/Non-Profit of the Year category honors community-based or non-profit projects that have made a positive impact to the communities involved in or affected by the project.
The Community First Food Pantry initiative was started in July 2021, in response to increased food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Texas ranked second in the nation for food insecurity at that time, and public health organizations predicted that one in five children living in Bexar County were facing or soon would face this unfortunate situation. Community First sought a solution to reduce food insecurity in communities across South Central Texas in an easily accessible and unstigmatized way. They have worked to install 50 freestanding, weatherproof food pantries across San Antonio and the surrounding counties over the past 2.5 years, partnering with schools, churches, parks, and many more organizations and creating a network of giving that extends across the South Central Texas area.
“Community First strives to improve health outcomes for as many people as we are able to reach, even if they are not our members. Fighting food insecurity is an immense, seemingly insurmountable task, but knowing that we are able to help one individual or a family from going hungry on any given day is a rewarding and worthwhile accomplishment in and of itself.” – Theresa Scepanski, CEO of Community First Health Plans.
Community First will be honored with the rest of the winners at the AACOG Regional Awards Luncheon in San Antonio, Texas on December 6, 2023.
ABOUT COMMUNITY FIRST HEALTH PLANS
Community First Health Plans, Inc. (Community First) was established in 1995 by University Health, specifically to begin providing health care coverage to the citizens of Bexar and the surrounding seven counties. As the only locally owned and managed, non-profit health plan in the area, our commitment to our members is to provide great health care benefits backed by outstanding service, delivered by people who live right here in South Texas. Our goal is to make San Antonio have more successful health outcomes by putting the community first. Learn more at CommunityFirstHealthPlans.com.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Brennan Loy at 210-260-7384 or email at bloy@cfhp.com.