by Laine Himmelmann
On March 31, more than 300 Blue Shield of California volunteers joined forces with California nonprofits for Blue Shield's second annual “Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta Day of Service.” The statewide event, hosted on Cesar Chavez Day and the last day of Women’s History Month, honors the two civil rights champions’ legacy of service by making a difference for those in need.
"As a nonprofit health plan, giving back is part of who we are and organizing around this Day of Service is truly a labor of love,” said Edgar Alonzo, co-chair for Blue Shield’s ¡Unidos! employee resource group, which organized the day’s activities alongside Blue Shield’s Elevating Women employee resource group.
Nearly a dozen Blue Shield volunteer events took place across California — in Sacramento, the East Bay, Los Angeles and San Diego. Employees contributed more than 800 hours to nonprofits dedicated to health advocacy, food access, environmental sustainability and uplifting underresourced communities — all core aspects of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta’s activism.
“Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta’s commitment to standing for what’s right and improving the lives of others moved mountains for millions, including my own family,” said Alonzo, who personally organized the East Bay event for 80 Blue Shield volunteers at the Alameda County Community Food Bank. “It’s a great feeling to be able to put their legacy of service into action and help pay it forward.” Alonzo and his East Bay team of volunteers helped pack 61,642 pounds of food which will be distributed as 51,163 meals to low-income Alameda families, children and seniors.
For 30-year Blue Shield employee Mari Corbin, participating in the Day of Service to honor Huerta and Chavez was especially meaningful.
"My parents were proud California farmworkers, and I too was a California farmworker in my youth. I remember us marching together alongside Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in the 1980s as we advocated for a healthier, more equitable tomorrow for farmworkers, laborers and Californians,” said Corbin, who joined 30 Blue Shield volunteers to build a greenhouse, and do spring planting and garden maintenance at the Alchemist Oak Park Sol Community Garden in Sacramento. Fresh fruits and vegetables grown in the greenhouse will be distributed through the nonprofit’s Community Food Connections program, which delivers farm-fresh produce and grocery staples to low-income, food insecure South Sacramento families.
“Roling up my sleeves on this special day — planting, weeding and building with my colleagues to support this community garden and increase access to healthy food for our neighbors in need — it's all very full circle. It was a really meaningful way to honor these legendary leaders who truly changed the trajectory of my life, my parents' lives and the lives of so many other Californians.”
In addition to volunteer hours, Blue Shield of California contributed to the Dolores Huerta Foundation, which is dedicated to empowering and mobilizing communities in volunteer activations for civic engagement, health equity and education initiatives.
"I want to thank all of the ¡Unidos! workers at Blue Shield for all the community work that you have been doing, the volunteering work — it is so important to set that kind of an example because it takes all of us to build a better world.” shared Huerta in a personal message to Blue Shield’s volunteers. “Sí se puede.”
The civil rights leader will celebrate her 95th birthday on April 10.
East Bay: Edgar Alonzo and Day of Service volunteers
at the Alameda County Community Food Bank
East Bay: Volunteers at Alameda County Community Food Bank
Long Beach: Volunteers wrote letters for people newly diagnosed with breast cancer through Girls Love Mail
Los Angeles: Volunteers at Project Angel Food
Woodland Hills: Volunteers at Hope the Mission
San Diego: Volunteers writing letters for children fighting cancer
Rancho Cordova: Volunteers at the Rancho Cordova Food Locker
Sacramento: Volunteers at Alchemist's Oak Park Sol Community Garden
Woodland Hills: Volunteers colored cards for children fighting cancer through the Jessie Rees Foundation
Placerville: Volunteers at The Center for Violence Free Relationships
To learn more about the Dolores Huerta Foundation, visit doloreshuerta.org
To learn more about Blue Shield of California’s culture of philanthropy and commitment to our California communities, please visit citizenship.blueshieldca.com