My Museum: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama aims to improve health and well-being throughout the state by investing in charitable organizations. How do you think your support of the arts improves well-being for the Birmingham community?
Terry Kellogg: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama and The Caring Foundation support initiatives to improve the health, wellness, and education of Alabamians. Health and wellness is more than a healthy body; it’s a healthy mind and spirit, as well. The arts improve the way people feel and interact with the world around them. Supporting the Birmingham Museum of Art and the arts provides opportunities to further enrich the lives of Alabamians.
MM: What do you look for when choosing to invest in a charitable organization?
TK: There are many worthwhile charitable organizations in our communities statewide. We support organizations that positively impact health, wellness, and education throughout Alabama. We ensure that the organizations we support are fiscally responsible and well-managed. We look for organizations and initiatives that improve the lives of Alabamians and meet the mission of The Caring Foundation and our corporate giving goals.
MM: As the number one healthcare provider in the state, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is also a large employer. How do your philanthropic contributions to organizations like the Museum help you recruit and retain employees?
TK: We believe that employees want to work for a company that gives back to the community. And those who care about working for such an employer are more likely to care for the customers who the company serves. One of our Corporate Values is “Give Back to the Community.” We strive to utilize our corporate strengths and resources to positively impact the communities we serve. Giving back to the community is important to our employees. When employees feel good about their employer, they’re more loyal and dedicated to that employer and, most importantly, to their customers.
MM: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has been a longtime supporter of the Museum. Why do you choose to support our organization?
TK: Supporting the Birmingham Museum of Art is a significant way to impact the Birmingham community. By providing educational and cultural opportunities, the Birmingham Museum of Art improves the quality of life for Alabamians. Children who lack the opportunities to travel or experience other cultures and geography can do so through their experiences at the Museum. It provides a unique, multi-dimensional learning opportunity—including art, history, geography, religion, sociology—that cannot be replicated or experienced in quite the same way anywhere else. These factors contribute to elevating Birmingham, and making it a highly desirable city to live and work, attracting a strong workforce and new businesses to our state.
MM: What do you enjoy most about your partnership with the Museum?
TK: We enjoy knowing that our support is making a difference in the Birmingham area by providing not only a cultural experience, but a well-rounded educational one, as well. We also enjoy knowing that prospective businesses entertaining an expansion or move to the area will be positively influenced by a visit to the Museum.