CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aetna (NYSE: AET - News) and the Aetna Foundation announced that they have just completed their 2007 local grant-making process and awarded grants totaling nearly $340,000 to 17 non-profit organizations in the Chicago area.

The amounts and recipients of the grants are:

• $25,000 to Access Community Health Network;
• $25,000 to American Diabetes Association;
• $25,000 to Association House of Chicago;
• $36,000 to Healthcare Alternative Systems;
• $36,500 to The Illinois Education Foundation;
• $25,000 to The Logan Square Neighborhood Association;
• $25,000 to The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago;
• $25,000 to Respiratory Health Association of Greater Chicago;
• $10,000 to Institute of Medicine of Greater Chicago;
• $12,000 to National Latino Children’s Institute;
• $25,000 to Centro San Bonifacio;
• $10,000 to Clearbrook;
• $10,000 to CommunityHealth;
• $15,000 to Erie Family Health Center;
• $5,000 to Casa Central;
• $25,000 to The King-Chavez Luncheon (DuSable Museum of African American History and the National Museum of Mexican Art); and
• $5,000 to Scholarship Chicago.

“As a longstanding corporate citizen of Illinois, Aetna is proud to support these organizations’ efforts to improve access to our health care system, and contribute to the vibrancy of our metropolitan area. These grants underscore that Aetna is not only in Chicago, but we are a part of Chicago and care about our Chicago neighbors,” said Robert Mendonsa, president of Small and Middle Markets for Aetna’s North Central Region.

“Reducing disparities in healthcare has always been an important issue for Aetna,” said Martin R. Castro, vice president of external affairs for Aetna’s diverse markets strategy in Chicago, who oversaw the grant-making process. “In addition to our grants, we intend to further collaborate with these organizations to ensure that we strengthen the safety net for those in greatest need. The American Dream is premised on a healthy community—we are pleased to do what we can to help make that a reality.”

The recipients of Aetna’s grants are dedicated to serving the needs of diverse communities throughout the Chicagoland area.

For example, Aetna awarded a $36,500 grant to the Illinois Education Foundation (IEF) to support a unique public-private initiative among Aetna, the IEF, the State of Illinois and the Chicago City Colleges to create a nursing retention program aimed at increasing the number of minority nurses.

Healthcare Alternative Systems received a $36,000 grant to fund the expansion of its unique bilingual and bicultural postpartum depression program. Aetna’s grant supports the addition of a bilingual therapist and case management staff to provide much-needed services to diverse communities in Chicago.

Aetna awarded a $25,000 grant to the Chicago Chapter of the American Diabetes Association to support expansion of their African American and Latino community outreach and education programs. These resources will help address the growing prevalence of diabetes among these two diverse groups.

The Aetna Foundation is the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of Aetna Inc. Founded in 1972, the Foundation helps build healthy communities by promoting volunteerism, forming partnerships and funding initiatives that improve the quality of life where our employees and customers live and work.

Since inception of this program in 2001, Aetna and the Aetna Foundation have awarded more than $15.5 million, including more than $5.5 million in 2006, in grants for programs that identify and implement practical means of reducing or eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health status and the delivery of health care.

Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 34.9 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans and government-sponsored plans in both the U.S. and internationally. www.aetna.com.

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Source: Aetna

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