Regence employee-nominated grant program in fourth year
SEATTLE – The Regence Foundation announced today that it has awarded a $20,000 grant to Feet First in recognition of the organization’s success in promoting safe neighborhood walking and to help it expand the reach of its programs. The grant is part of The Regence Foundation’s annual employee-nominated grant competition.
“Every year we invite employees to nominate organizations that are doing transformative health care work in their communities,” said Peggy Maguire, Regence Foundation board president. “We selected Feet First for a grant because its ‘Safe Route to School’ and ‘Neighborhoods on Foot’ programs promote health and improve community.”
Hazel Clements, a Regence Customer Service representative, nominated Feet First. “Getting out of our cars and walking benefits our health, reduces environmental impact and can transform a community,” Clements said.
Feet First takes on the complexity of creating walkable neighborhoods, working with jurisdictions and school officials to improve pedestrian facilities such as sidewalks, roundabouts and signage and raising community awareness by creating neighborhood walking maps, advocating for pedestrian rights and pedestrian mobility safety tours.
In addition to mapping walkable neighborhoods, Feet First leads community-based walking audits and compiles recommendations to address enforcement, education, engineering and policy changes to increase walking. Its work led to the funding and installation of the first way-finding system and kiosks in West Seattle.
About The Regence Foundation
The Regence Foundation is the corporate foundation of Regence, the largest health insurer in the Northwest/Intermountain region and a nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. A 501(c)3 grantmaking organization, the Foundation partners with organizations driving significant change in health care delivery and accessibility in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Through its Sojourns program, the Foundation also supports organizations advancing quality palliative and end-of-life care. For more information, visit