Anthem Foundation Grant Boosts AIRnyc's Community-Based Health Program

Funding helps families manage hypertension and diabetes, improving clinical outcomes

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation has provided a three-year, $550,000 grant to AIRnyc, a community-based program that helps families in New York City manage hypertension and diabetes through a holistic approach. The program combines Community Health Worker coaching, culturally familiar meals, and app-based nutrition guidance, leading to measurable improvements in A1C and blood pressure levels for participating families.

Why it matters

More than 1 in 10 New York City adults live with diabetes, and many also have high blood pressure, raising their risk of heart disease and stroke. AIRnyc's model addresses these challenges by meeting families where they are - in the home, kitchen, and community - rather than just in the exam room.

The details

The program, powered by the Anthem Foundation grant, enrolls residents facing food insecurity and chronic conditions, primarily in the South Bronx. It integrates clinical care from partner Sun River Health, delivers medically tailored meals from Umoja Food for Health, and relies on AIRnyc's community health workers to coach participants on overcoming real-world barriers like budgeting, label reading, and timing medication with meals. The combination of familiar foods, simple app-based lessons, and personalized support has led to meaningful improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar control for participants.

  • The Anthem Foundation grant to AIRnyc began in 2023 and will run for three years.
  • As of February 2026, 164 residents have enrolled in the program, with 121 successfully completing it.

The players

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation

The philanthropic arm of the Elevance Health Foundation, which works to address health equity by focusing on improving the health of the socially vulnerable through strategic partnerships and programs in local communities.

AIRnyc

A community-based program that helps families in New York City manage hypertension and diabetes through a holistic approach combining Community Health Worker coaching, culturally familiar meals, and app-based nutrition guidance.

Sun River Health

A network of 50 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) providing primary, dental, pediatric, OB-GYN, and behavioral health care to over 250,000 patients annually in the Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island.

Umoja Food for Health

A partner organization that delivers medically tailored meals as part of the AIRnyc program.

Lola Simpson

Chief Executive Officer of AIRnyc.

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What they’re saying

“When we support the entire household with familiar foods, simple apps, and community health workers who help them navigate care, we see real changes families can sustain. It's an innovative approach that's helping more New Yorkers make better daily choices, while pushing their blood sugar levels in the right direction.”

— Dr. Christy Valentine Theard, President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicaid (BusinessWire)

“Thanks to the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation and our partners at Sun River Health, Umoja Food for Health, and God's Love We Deliver, we have enrolled 164 residents facing food insecurity and chronic conditions, primarily in the South Bronx, with a small percentage of participants residing in other boroughs of New York City. To date, 121 residents have successfully completed the program, and among those with available follow-up data, we are seeing meaningful improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar control.”

— Lola Simpson, Chief Executive Officer of AIRnyc (BusinessWire)

What’s next

The Anthem Foundation grant to AIRnyc will continue for one more year, allowing the program to reach more families in need and further demonstrate the impact of its community-based approach to managing chronic health conditions.

The takeaway

By combining clinical care, community engagement, and culturally relevant resources, the AIRnyc program is showing that a holistic, household-level approach can lead to sustainable improvements in the health of underserved populations struggling with hypertension and diabetes - two major drivers of heart disease.