Univera Healthcare is watching developments involving novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and what it means for those we serve. The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting life for everyone as our communities battle this potentially deadly virus. Because of this disruption, we are carefully evaluating all corporate giving requests to assess where these dollars will do the most good as our communities begin to recover. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Learn more about how we are supporting our communities during the pandemic.

Univera Healthcare is committed to making Western New York a better place to live, work and raise a family. As a nonprofit health plan, our mission is to provide access to affordable health care and continually work to improve the health and health care of residents in the communities we serve.

Through our community investments and partnerships programming, we strive to improve access to care, advance specific health outcomes, and support organizations in our community that share our mission.

Every Bottom Covered

Univera Healthcare provided $10,000 to Every Bottom Covered, a diaper bank at the Delavan Grider Community Center in Buffalo. With these funds, the diaper bank will continue to assist low-income families in the distribution of diapers.

According to a study by Huggies and the National Diaper Bank Network, 1 in 3 families in the United States experience "diaper need," which is defined as not having enough diapers to keep a baby or toddler consistently clean and dry. This can lead to health issues like diaper rash or infections for the baby and undue stress for parents.

The need for diapers creates additional stress for the family as well. Most childcare centers, even free and subsidized facilities, require parents to provide a day's supply of disposable diapers; therefore, many parents cannot go to work or school if they cannot leave their babies at childcare.

"Receiving this grant helps Every Bottom Covered ensure that no child's bottom will be left uncovered by helping us to purchase more diapers and wipes and begin to expand into communities that may not always be able to get to the Delavan Grider Community Center, said Raziya Hill, founder and executive director of Every Bottom Covered. "We understand that in addition to the financial pinch of raising families in low-income households, transportation is a major issue in many rural communities. This amazing grant will help us truly begin to address this. We are so grateful to Univera for this opportunity."

Buffalo Niagara Partnership - It's Our Job Campaign

Through the support of a grant from Univera Healthcare, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership produced 2,500 small business kits as part of the "It's Our Job" campaign. The It's Our Job Small Business Kit includes the following resources to help businesses operate safely and welcome customers back in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic:

It's Our Job face masks and buttons
Repositionable floor decals
In-business social distancing signage
Univera Healthcare hand health instructions
Safe entry and safe hygiene signage
Small business guide

Local businesses are integral to the economy and the fabric of our community. These kits aim to help keep local dollars within local and diverse businesses while promoting safety measures aimed to keep all of us healthy in these uncertain times.

Representatives from Bank on Buffalo, Evans Bank, KeyBank, M&apm;T Bank, and Northwest Bank distributed kits to their small employer businesses.

"When all of us work together, great things can happen. The fact that Univera Healthcare and this impressive group of banks have come together to support this initiative speaks volumes," said Dottie Gallagher, president and CEO, Buffalo Niagara Partnership.

Buffalo Fatherhood Initiative

Univera Healthcare has committed to helping over 30 underserved, low-socioeconomic fathers with children in partnership with the Buffalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network's (BPPN) Buffalo Fatherhood Initiative. Our sponsorship will provide financial education, father-specific parenting education, and mentorship for young men of color to advance in postsecondary education or workforce development completion.

The Buffalo Fatherhood Initiative (BFI) empowers healthy father and male involvement for children and families while providing tools and resources to a better future for our children and our community - one father at a time. BFI offers three programs for the community:

Personal development and mentoring for young men and fathers
Parenting education and support through a 13-week Nurturing Fathers Program
Promotion of economic stability through a 9-week personal financial education program

"Univera is a key partner and advocate for the Buffalo Fatherhood Initiative," stated Antoine Johnson, Program Manager of the Buffalo Fatherhood Initiative. "This investment will help us reach more fathers and change lives of fathers and their families."

COVID Vaccine Clinics

Univera Healthcare, in partnership with Kinney Drugs, conducted a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at our Williamsville headquarters for Univera members and individuals in their households who had not been vaccinated. Univera was the first Buffalo-area health insurer to host a vaccine clinic.

Corporate Sponsorship

We invest in local nonprofit organizations through one-time funding opportunities that support a health-specific program, event, or service.

Submit Application Application Rules/Requirements

Community Health Awards

Through a competitive application process, Community Health Awards support programs that have clear goals to improve the health or health care of a specific population. Each recipient is awarded up to $5,000 allocated by the company to help fund health and wellness programs in our community. More information will be coming in 2022.

Read about the 2021 Community Health Award winners.

Health Equity Awards

We strive to work with communities to create an environment of equity and access where everyone can reach their full potential. The Health Equity Awards focus on addressing racial and ethnic health disparities. In 2021, Univera awarded over $30,000 through a competitive application process to qualified community-based organizations. More information will be coming in 2022.

Read about the 2021 Health Equity Award winners.

Member and Community Health Improvement (MACHI) Grant Program

Univera Healthcare’s Member and Community Health Improvement grant program provides funding to local, nonprofit organizations that share our vision for healthier communities. The initiatives we support span multiple years, include specific objectives and measurable outcomes for improving health, and help us reach our company’s key goals. Collaborating with selected organizations, we leverage and coordinate our resources to bolster member and community health.

Employee Volunteerism

Employee volunteerism aligns with our company’s vision and values of improving the health of our community. Univera Healthcare provides employees with volunteer time off to cultivate community connections through volunteer service, engage with the community via board membership, and nurture meaningful community relationships.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Our company is committed to fostering an environment where inclusion, diversity, equity, and access are explicitly recognized as fundamental parts of our organizational culture. As a result, diversity, equity and inclusion is a uniting principle that runs through all our community engagement activities. By building authentic connections with organizations that share in our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, we can better fulfill our mission to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve.

Our Commitment to DEI

Contact Information

Olivia Linke
Community Affairs Director
Olivia.Linke@univerahealthcare.com
(716) 604-5414

Univera Healthcare receives hundreds of corporate giving requests every year. Each corporate giving request that benefits a charitable organization will be reviewed. Our corporate giving must follow all applicable laws, regulations, and corporate policies and refrain from contributing to political organizations, political candidates, and labor unions (unless the payees are registered 501(c)(3) charitable organizations). In addition, we will not fund organizations that conflict with our corporate mission, goals, policies, or products, including organizations that discriminate against persons or groups on the basis of age, political affiliation, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS status, or religion.

Community Investments and Partnerships