CareFirst Hosts Regional Training Event for Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) was pleased to host the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovations (the Department’s) regional training event at our Canton headquarters. The Department, created in January 2023 by Governor Wes Moore and his administration, prioritizes service in communities across Maryland. One of the Department’s first initiatives was creating the SERVE Act, which established two new streams of service—Maryland Corps and Service Year Option.
- Maryland Corps offers an open door for people of all ages who are passionate about serving their state. Whether someone is a high school student or a seasoned professional, the Maryland Corps, like the Service Year Option, gives them a chance to serve their community, gain valuable work experience and earn a salary.
- Service Year Option offers young adults and recent high school graduates the opportunity to gain both hard and soft skills through a service placement aligned with their area of interest. In addition, participants work closely with support coaches to develop and refine their post-service plans, including college, career or continued service.
At the Department’s training event, CareFirst Vice President and Chief of Staff to the Office of the CEO, Lester Davis, welcomed more than 90 members participating in these innovative programs. Lester discussed how the Department’s commitment to service and the mission of these two programs connect to CareFirst’s own vision to help create thriving communities that provide more opportunities to those who live there.
Because health and success are subjective and look different for everyone, CareFirst appreciates the value of inclusive growth opportunities and the possibilities they can open.
During this event several CareFirst volunteers lent their time to the event, from guiding members between sessions to even leading networking and finance breakouts. Our Difference Makers are dedicated to the success of our community. As part of our organization’s “One Company, One Team” culture, we encourage all the Difference Makers in our workforce to invest their time and talent in the places, organizations and causes they care deeply about.
Simply put, we value our role as corporate citizens.
In 2023, our employees dedicated nearly 75,000 hours of their time to service- and skills-based volunteer opportunities. With almost 3,000 Difference Makers volunteering in every jurisdiction in our region, our impact equated to an economic infusion of $2.4 million in support of our communities.
"Following completion of their service year, participants in both programs earn a completion award of $6,000. Members are also emerging from the program well-equipped to contribute to Maryland’s workforce, with more than 100 individuals earning registered apprenticeship credentials from the U.S. Department of Labor and more than 2,000 certified competencies in fields including project management and community outreach. Throughout the program, members also completed more than 38,000 hours of related technical instruction."
The Office of Governor Wes Moore
We extend our congratulations to all those who graduated in July 2024 from the inaugural class of the program. This is an incredible accomplishment and an exciting boost for Maryland’s economic engine.
Partnering with the Maryland Department of Service and Civic and Innovation and supporting programs like the Maryland Corps and Service Year Option is at the core of who we are, and it was an honor to host and take part in an event that helped to advance positive change in the communities we serve.
To learn more about CareFirst’s efforts in the Community, visit: carefirst.com/community.
