PHP is committed to improving the health of the communities we serve. Our vision and values are carried out by providing partner agencies exceptional customer service, wellness initiatives, and reliable resources. PHP supports many non-profits in the region through sponsorships, volunteerism, and financial assistance. Additionally, we highlight our partner agencies to shine a light on them, their needs, and the good work they are doing to make Indiana a better place to live, work, and play.
This month, we’re focusing on Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana. Founded in this region in 1972, the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
Each Big Brother Big Sister (BBBS) agency, like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana, must adhere to nationally adopted standards for child safety, training, match support, and governance. Through corporate and private foundations, government partnerships, and sponsorships, the BBBS national office provides funding to each agency to improve services and work to expand access to programming in each community.
To assure the staff at BBBS is at their best— able to grow the number of children and youth participating and ensure quality programming—BBBS has relied on PHP to address their employee health benefits needs.
Eli Rider, Marketing and Communications Manager, BBBS, shares a few thoughts about the agency and working alongside PHP as an employee health benefits company.
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Why did Big Brothers Big Sisters of NE Indiana choose to partner with PHP, (Northeast Indiana’s only not-for profit health insurance carrier) rather than one of the larger insurance carriers?
Big Brothers Big Sisters is committed to the region and the people we serve. BBBS decision-makers consciously seek the services of local business and agree that supporting local business helps grow and better our own community.
Additionally, Eli states: “As a millennial myself, we look at how organizations give back to communities. It’s important to millennials what organizations they support. PHP cares about our community and the health of the people who live here. That means a lot.” -
What does the BBBS staff think of their PHP health benefits, in general?
Our staff, generally, is younger, and learning about health insurance, how it works, and when and where to take advantage of benefits can be confusing. We rely on PHP customer service to help answer those questions. It’s nice to know that you can reach a real, local person who can walk you through the details. Also, during registration/enrollment, there is an educational process that helps guide employees to a plan that is best for their needs.
Our internal BBBS benefits coordinator, Tahnea Cayce, relies on her PHP account manager to answer questions and clarify benefits. It’s more than a business relationship—our PHP account manager is always there to help her out when she’s confused about plan details and plan benefits for BBBS employees.
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Is there anything specifically, you or the staff at BBBS appreciates about PHP?
Beyond providing great health insurance, PHP sponsors BBBS events and oftentimes participates in them as well. Additionally, PHP has opened their doors to BBBS and has requested that our staff speak to PHP employees about getting involved. Through these presentations and conversations, we’ve matched several PHP employees to youth as mentors and Big Brothers or Big Sisters. We think of PHP as a partner, not a service we purchase. This takes a great deal of trust in our relationship. -
How did COVID impact Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana?
In-person visits and personal requests for participation as a mentor, volunteer, “Big”, or sponsor has always been the best way to encourage support and volunteerism for our organization. When you reach out to a group of citizens and explain the huge need for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, many people will come forward. Currently, we have over 900 youth in our program (an 11 county area) but there are at least 700 more youth that are awaiting a match with a Big Brother or a Big Sister. During COVID our public appearances and requests nearly came to a halt. We were unable to find many matches for youth in need. We’re working very hard to find matches as we many young people who are eager to participate in the program. -
Are there other ways that PHP could assist Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana?
As we continue to grow the number of children and youth served in our area we will continue to add quality staff. Offering good employee benefits helps ensure we have strong staff members. PHP benefits help our organization keep good staff members—so keep PHP benefits local and available.
Also, encourage everyone to participate in Big Brothers Big Sisters programs—Community-based, Site-based, or Big Futures. Volunteer eligibility is simple: have a desire to mentor youth, commit to sharing time with them, and set a good example.
You can get involved.
If you are interested in getting involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters, there are many opportunities. You can participate as a donor, potential Big Brother or Big Sister, partner, advocate, or family member. Each effort inspires a young person to strive for more – we each have the power to change a child's future for the better. Learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters at www.bbbsnei.org or call 260-456-1600.
