Improving community health through the Highmark Bright Blue Futures Awards Program
Most people think about health in terms of doctor visits, medications and hospitals. But health starts long before anyone walks into an exam room.
It starts with having access to nutritious food. Safe places to walk, exercise and spend time outdoors. Stable housing. Educational opportunities. Meaningful social connections. Access to resources that help people navigate life’s challenges before they become crises.
Those are the building blocks of a healthy community, and they’re also the focus of the 2026 Highmark Bright Blue Futures awards program, which recognized nonprofit organizations from Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Delaware on Sept. 14 for their work improving health across the communities they serve. The awards program, established in 2023 as an expansion of Highmark Bright Blue Futures, Highmark’s corporate giving and community involvement program, recognizes organizations creating measurable, lasting improvements in community health and community and economic resilience.
Now in its fourth year, the awards program, funded through the Highmark Foundation, invested more than $500,000 this year and has contributed $2 million since its inception to organizations working to build healthier, more resilient communities. What makes the program unique is its focus on outcomes. These are organizations that aren’t simply identifying challenges. They’re delivering solutions and demonstrating results.
For Western Pennsylvanians, that impact may be closer to home than they realize.
Consider Allegheny County’s nine regional parks. Every year, millions of people visit these green spaces to walk trails, exercise, enjoy nature, attend community events and spend time with family and friends. Those experiences may feel recreational, but they also contribute to physical health, mental well-being and social connection.
That’s why the Allegheny County Parks Foundation was recognized with a 2026 Highmark Bright Blue Futures award. As the dedicated steward of the county’s nine parks and 12,000 acres of public green space, the Foundation has invested more than $19 million in park improvements, enhanced nearly 31,000 linear feet of trails, planted more than 12,000 trees and shrubs and expanded accessibility throughout the parks. The result is a healthier, more welcoming environment for the more than 23 million annual visits these parks receive each year.
Another local organization that received recognition through a mini grant this year is Just Harvest, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing hunger and economic inequality. Through advocacy, education and direct assistance, the organization helps connect individuals and families to food resources while advancing long-term solutions to food insecurity. Just Harvest is one of five organizations receiving a mini-grant through this year’s program in recognition of promising ideas that can improve community health.
Their work reflects an important reality: health reaches beyond access to medical care.
Research continues to show that factors such as education, economic opportunity, housing, transportation, neighborhood safety, and social support have a significant influence on long-term health outcomes. When people have stable foundations, they’re more likely to live healthier lives.
That belief is at the heart of the Highmark Foundation’s approach to community investment.
“Strong communities are built when people have the resources, opportunities and support they need to thrive,” said Kenya T. Boswell, senior vice president of Community Affairs for Highmark Health and president of the Highmark Foundation. “This year’s awardees are strengthening community health in meaningful ways, whether through education, economic opportunity, social connection, access to care or creating healthier environments. Their work is helping improve lives today while building a stronger foundation for the future.”
While local organizations may resonate most strongly with Pittsburgh-area readers, the challenges these nonprofits address are shared across communities throughout the region.
Among this year’s award recipients are Cabin Creek Health Centers in West Virginia, which provides comprehensive healthcare, behavioral health, dental care and addiction recovery services to underserved populations; D.R.E.A.M. Partnership in Pennsylvania, which expands postsecondary education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities; Forward Journey Adult Day Services in Delaware, which helps adults with severe disabilities maintain independence and mobility; Project HOME in Philadelphia, which combines housing, healthcare, education and employment services to support individuals experiencing homelessness; and Unity House of Troy in New York, which provides a broad network of family support, behavioral health and housing-related services.
Additional mini-grant recipients include:
• Children’s Beach House (Lewes, Del.)
• Harvest House (Buffalo)
• Just Harvest (Pittsburgh)
• Mercy Center for Women (Erie)
• Valley Health Partners (Allentown, Pa.)
On the evening of Sept. 14, Highmark Health’s headquarters in Downtown Pittsburgh was illuminated bright blue in recognition of the organizations making a difference across the region.
The blue lights shone for only one night.
The impact of these organizations will last much longer.
From county parks and food assistance programs to healthcare services, education initiatives and housing support, this year’s awardees demonstrate that when communities invest in the things that help people thrive, everyone benefits. Healthier individuals create stronger families. Stronger families create stronger communities. And stronger communities create brighter futures for us all.
