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BALTIMORE, MD. (June 18, 2009) - Living Classrooms Foundation, through a two-year, $150,000 grant from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), will teach at-risk youth in Baltimore City how to resolve personal conflicts without violence and how healthy personal choices can help avoid chronic diseases, such as childhood obesity.

At the Carmelo Anthony Youth Development Center, children and their families will learn how to incorporate a variety of healthy foods and exercise into their daily lives. The health-centered program will also stress the importance of avoiding drugs, alcohol and risky sexual behavior. Through the Baltimore City Health Department's Safe Streets program, at-risk youth will be mentored on how to turn away from violent and illegal behaviors, such as gun crime.

"Our partnership with CareFirst will help our students learn how to prevent the deadly consequences of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, illnesses associated with obesity that are highly prevalent in urban areas," said James Piper Bond, President and CEO of Living Classrooms. "At the same time, we will be able to sustain and build on the success of our Safe Streets program, actively engaging our kids and teaching them how to avoid violence."

According to the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, "overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults." Obesity is a significant risk factor in causing both heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading killer of African Americans, Hispanics and whites. Type 2 diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. At its current pace, "1 in 2 minorities born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime," according to the American Diabetes Association.

The Living Classrooms' CareFirst Healthy Lifestyle & Violence Prevention Program embraces the recommendations outlined by the Baltimore City Council's Task Force on Childhood Obesity, including promoting physical activity, healthy food choices and nutrition education in low-income neighborhoods.

"We are very pleased with the opportunity to contribute to the health and safety of Baltimore City youth," said Dr. Jon P. Shematek, CareFirst Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. "Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic. Without hands-on prevention initiatives by organizations such as Living Classrooms Foundation, the widespread health risks associated with childhood obesity could very well define a generation of chronically ill Americans."

On another front, Living Classrooms Foundation is reaching out to young men and women, some having ties to gangs, through the Baltimore City Health Department's Safe Streets program. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health conducted an independent report on the initial effects of the Safe Streets program. This report shows that despite "historical patterns" of homicides in McElderry Park, Baltimore, Md., no homicides occurred during the 17 months between the start of Safe Streets and the report's January 2009 publish date. During this time, "one would have expected four or five homicides in McElderry Park," the report says.

The mission of Living Classrooms is to strengthen communities and inspire young people to achieve their potential through hands-on education and job training, using urban natural and maritime resources as "living classrooms." Living Classrooms serves 45,000 youth each year, including nearly 20,000 in the Washington, D.C., area.

In its 72nd year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to nearly 3.4 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. Through its CareFirst Commitment initiative and other public mission activities, CareFirst supports efforts to increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas.

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