Originally Published on Humana
Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), one of the nation’s leading health and well-being companies, is furthering its commitment to provide veterans with the resources, information and holistic guidance they need to achieve their best health as the lead sponsor of the 120th Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) National Convention in Orlando, July 19-24.
At the weeklong gathering of VFW and Auxiliary delegates representing more than 1.6 million veteran members, Humana will offer a variety of health activities and demonstrations at a Pop-Up Community Location on the main Convention floor, to address the physical, emotional and mental health needs of American veterans. Across the country, Humana community locations are helping veterans and seniors to stay active and engaged and to better manage their health.
Convention guests can get complimentary blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) screenings; participate in live demonstrations such as Harmonicas for Health and SilverSneakers® exercise and cooking classes; and learn about keeping an aging brain healthy.
Attendees can also write thank you letters to active military members as part of the Thanks a Million campaign and participate in a virtual reality tour of United States National Parks.
“Humana has a longstanding relationship with the military and is dedicated to providing high-quality health care coverage to our nation’s veterans,” said Dr. Worthe Holt, Vice President, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Humana. “Our continued support for and relationship with the VFW demonstrate our commitment to providing veterans with the resources, information and guidance to achieve their best health as well as focus on issues such as food insecurity among veterans.”
Convention-goers are also encouraged to donate non-perishable food items as part of the “Uniting to Combat Hunger” campaign, an initiative to combat food insecurity in central Florida. During the six-month campaign, the VFW Districts of the Department of Florida contributed a total of 66,550 meals to the overall National campaign supporting (6) Florida Feeding America food banks. The collaborative campaign that includes The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., Humana, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida(an affiliate of Feeding America), CarePlus Health Plans and the Society of St. Andrew exceeded its annual goal by more than triple, and will provide more than 300,000 meals and 2000 cases of water to residents in the Greater Orlando area, including Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties. The “Uniting to Combat Hunger” campaign was originally launched in March 2018, as a part of the VFW National Convention in Kansas City. To learn more about the campaign, visit www.vfw.org/uniting-to-combat-hunger.
“This year’s results of the ‘Uniting to Combat Hunger’ campaign far surpassed our expectations thanks to the generosity of everyone who has volunteered and donated food or funds to the cause,” said Richard Freiburghouse, VFW Foundation manager. “The collaborative efforts of the organizations involved focused on improving food insecurity among veterans and supporting five Florida foodbanks across the state. Research shows 25 percent of the nation’s total active duty and reserve personnel seeks aid from food pantries and other charitable programs across the country.”
The Convention will also feature a new exhibition developed through partnerships with the After-Action Network, The Battle Within, Humana, Veterans Community Project and created by Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) Illustration students. The exhibition will display paintings and short audio clips that tell the stories of 14 Kansas City area veterans and gives insight into the social isolation and loneliness experienced by many veterans. The exhibit is part of Humana’s Bold Goal of improving the health of the communities they serve 20% by 2020 and beyond.
