*This piece is part of an ongoing series in which we highlight 25 stellar reasons to support your Community Foundation.*

“We stick with you until you get it.”  That’s how Jennifer Olson, Executive Director of Healthy Communities of La Porte County, describes the focus of Covering Kids & Families of La Porte County (CKF).  She’s talking about health insurance, and how, for many of us, that can be a confusing subject matter.  The help and support offered by CKF is free and open to everyone.  Healthy Communities covers many different health related programs, including CKF.

“We strive for a friendly and casual approach to insurance,” says Rametra Evans, Community Based Enrollment Specialist for CKF, “We are a liaison through policy.”  Healthcare policies can be overwhelming if you don’t know the terminology; Evans works with people to figure out what their specific needs are and which policies make the most sense for them.  The one on one approach ensures that everyone walks away feeling more educated about the healthcare system.

CKF also takes a proactive role in making sure all of La Porte County is healthy and insured.  Events like the “Coverage to Care” program, where high school seniors are taught to enroll, retain, and understand their coverage, and the Community Baby Shower, where education materials on pregnancy and health coverage were distributed, help the community become more educated about insurance coverage.  The more we understand about what health insurance can mean for us as individuals and for our families, the better decisions we can make.

In 2016, the small but mighty CKF team logged over 2,000 assists to residents of La Porte County.  Those assists ranged from enrolling someone into the Healthy Indiana Plan to answering a question about Medicaid.  At the end of the day, Olson and Evans want people in La Porte County to be the happiest and healthiest versions of themselves.

Insurance is such an important part of taking care of ourselves; we know how vital organizations like CKF can be for our community members.  Supporting Healthy Communities benefits families all over La Porte County, and we love to see our neighborhoods thrive. Since 2004, Unity Foundation has awarded Healthy Communities over $32,000 in grants from our Power for Good Fund.

Working towards healthcare coverage for all La Porte County Residents is just one stellar reason to support Unity Foundation!  Keep a look out for 24 more reasons coming to you throughout the year as we celebrate our 25^th anniversary of strengthening La Porte County now and forever.

To learn about the Power for Good Fund, and how your donations help support many great organizations, visit our site here: https://uflc.net/power-for-good/

You can learn more about Covering Kids & Families of LaPorte County, as well as the other programs overseen by Healthy Communities at their website: http://www.healthycommunitieslpc.org/