Partners Driving Impact

Strong communities are built through strong partnerships. We collaborate with boots-on-the-ground organizations to meet people where they are and help address the everyday needs that shape health.

Community Partner spotlight: Wider Circle

Wider Circle helps build healthier and engaged communities by bringing people together through peer support gatherings tied to trust. Their programs encourage connection and health education on preventive care while addressing daily social drivers of health—supporting many of the same goals CareFirst advances for the people we serve.

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• Finding confidence through care. Access to dental care can have a meaningful impact on daily life. Danny and Wanda, high school sweethearts now in their early 60s, avoided social situations because they were missing teeth and felt embarrassed. At a Wider Circle lunch and resource event, they learned they had coverage on dentures through the Healthy Smiles program offered by the state (Maryland Department of Health). Today, they’re engaging more fully in their community, with renewed confidence and a sense of relief. Wanda shared that the experience helped her move past feelings of shame and depression.

• Choosing connection and growth. After surviving a traumatic incident, Devonte was looking for a fresh start. He attended a Wider Circle tour of the Lillie Carroll Jackson Museum and turkey giveaway, where connecting with others sparked a sense of purpose. Helping attendees carry turkeys to their cars reminded him how good it feels to help others. That day, Davonte chose to become a Wider Circle ambassador, committed to personal growth and helping others find connection and support.

• Building community, one relationship at a time. Health is shaped by relationships as much as medical care. At a recent Wider Circle event, Brianca, a single mother, met Miles, who arrived on a skateboard. As they talked, Miles learned that Brianca’s son loved skateboarding but didn’t have someone to teach him. Miles offered to help, and they made plans to meet at a local skatepark. These kinds of everyday connections help strengthen community and support mental and physical wellbeing.