Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is donating $6,000 to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank—the result of the company’s 2011 Pound for Pound Weight-loss Challenge.

The Pound for Pound Challenge is part of Blue Cross’ employee wellness program, launched in 2006, to help employees live healthier lives and demonstrate the company’s commitment to good health for all Louisianians.  The challenge encouraged the company’s 1,900 employees to lose pounds as needed, with one pound of food promised to the Food Bank for each pound employees dropped. The company also created a Step by Step Challenge with the Louisiana 2 Step program to promote walking for exercise. 

Blue Cross employees attend an annual health fair and at least three quarterly health assessments conducted by local fitness experts. The wellness program provides a number of other opportunities for employees to learn about and improve many aspects of their health.

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB)-Applications are being accepted for low-income residents in East Baton Rouge Parish who need help paying their energy bill.
The applications are being handled by the East Baton Rouge Office of Social Services by appointment only.

To be eligible, a household must have a total income at or below the levels listed in the table below and have not received assistance within the past six months.

Southern University in conjunction with Africentric Focus and Maat Study Group will host the 23rd Annual Kwanzaa celebration at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom of the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union on campus.

Wade Nobles, founder and executive director of the Institute for the Advanced Study of Black Family, Life and Culture,  will be the keynote speaker.

The celebration is free and open to the public.