Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky and HOTEL INC Join to Address Affordable Housing Crisis

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky and HOTEL INC Join to

Address Affordable Housing Crisis

Anthem to provide $10,000 to support and create safe, stable and accessible housing environment for many vulnerable individuals, families

BOWLING GREEN, KY — September 22, 2021 — HOTEL INC received $10,000 from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to address ongoing barriers Kentuckians experiencing homelessness face as they strive to find, access and maintain safe affordable housing. Specifically, Anthem’s funds will be used to support HOTEL INC’s Preferred Tenant Program and the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week campaign.

Through the Preferred Tenant Program, HOTEL INC offers small-group workshops that equip participants with the skills to develop a personalized plan to obtain housing. Housing Navigators assist participants develop a household budget, find employment, identify homeownership opportunities, improve financial literacy, and better understand their lease or mortgage.

“Anthem recognizes that social factors, such as access to stable housing, are critical components of integrated healthcare and healthy communities,” said Leon Lamoreaux, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Medicaid President in Kentucky. “Anthem remains focused on addressing these factors through deep community relationships and developing real-time and impactful solutions that support access to services for healthy living.”

Almost 45 percent of Bowling Green’s estimated 15,800 renters are forced to pay more than 30 percent of their net income in rental costs, making their household unstable and putting families in serious jeopardy of homelessness based on the 2019 Bowling Green Housing Needs Assessment.

“For 40 years, HOTEL INC has been at the forefront in the fight to address the affordable housing crisis in Warren County,” said HOTEL INC Executive Director Rhondell Miller. “We are excited to have Anthem’s support to further our life-changing work to make sure that more Kentuckians are valued and have equal opportunity to thrive.”

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is one of HOTEL INC’s most impactful weeks, bringing the business community, faith groups, local media, and the general public together to raise awareness on the critical issues of food, health, and housing insecurity in Warren County.