Ribbon-cutting ceremony includes unveiling of Wilmington’s largest mural by local artist Miranda Villanueva and launch of Kindness Rocks Project
LOS ANGELES – L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan today are holding a long-awaited ribbon-cutting ceremony inaugurating their Community Resource Center in Wilmington, which opened to the public in early July. The new site marks the latest addition to the health plans’ jointly operated Community Resource Centers, which aim to keep members and the community active, healthy, and informed.
At 13,000 square feet, the Wilmington Community Resource Center, located at 911 N. Avalon Blvd., is the largest in the network. This location is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and provides select services, including connection to social services, free Wi-Fi for private telehealth consultations, support with Medi-Cal enrollment – and customer care for L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise members. A wide range of in-person fitness and health education classes will resume once it is deemed safe by public health officials overseeing the COVID-19 pandemic response.
“The Delta surge may have delayed our grand opening, but it will not interfere with our commitment to serving the Wilmington community,” said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. “We are excited to be here and offer valuable health and social services and resources at a time when they are most needed. And the best part is they are free for the entire community.”
One of the newest services at the Community Resource Center in Wilmington includes a weekly food pantry where everyone is welcome to pick up free groceries. This food pantry is open on Mondays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
“During a time when community members may be facing additional burdens brought about by this pandemic, we are excited to open our sixth jointly operated Community Resource Center with L.A. Care,” said Kristen Cerf, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan. “We are committed to being a resource and an advocate for addressing the social needs that result in positive outcomes that impact the health of communities that we serve.”
The ribbon cutting features the grand reveal of a community-inspired mural painted on the exterior of the Community Resource Center by South Bay muralist Miranda Villanueva. The 135 square feet mural is the largest artwork in Wilmington. Villanueva, whose mission is to connect the community through murals, actively teaches young women to reach their full potential as artists through a program known as Posas – short for mariposas, which translates to butterflies in Spanish.
Additionally, the Community Resource Center is launching its own Kindness Rocks Project, part of an international initiative that aims to cultivate connections within communities and uplift individuals through simple acts of kindness. The Community Resource Center worked with youth from the Boys and Girls Club of Wilmington, Wilmington Teen Center and Dual Immersion Foundation to paint inspirational words or images on rocks that will be placed in a garden outside the facility, where anyone can pick up a rock or leave one behind.
To learn more about the Community Resource Centers, please visit activehealthyinformed.org.
About Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan
Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan is a managed care organization, wholly owned by Blue Shield of California, offering Medi-Cal and Cal MediConnect. It is led by healthcare professionals with a “members-first” philosophy and committed to building a quality network of providers and partnering with community organizations for more than 400,000 members. For more information about Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, please visit www.blueshieldca.com/promise. For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit www.news.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.