PHOENIX – September 19, 2026 -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Health Choice (AZ Blue Health Choice) is distributing approximately 3,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to Medicaid families across Arizona this year, tying the giveaway directly to a push for increased preventive pediatric care.
Backpack Distribution Ties School Supplies to Well-Child Visit Access
AZ Blue Health Choice partnered with Equality Health Foundation on the initiative, which supplies notebooks, folders, pencils, crayons, rulers and glue sticks to children and families statewide. The program is structured around partnerships with pediatric and primary care practices to connect families with annual wellness visits, aiming to identify health issues early and reduce financial strain on households ahead of the school year.
"Every child deserves the opportunity to start the school year feeling prepared, supported and healthy," said Heather Carter, CEO of AZ Blue Health Choice. "When we pair that support with access to preventive care, we're helping children show up healthy, confident and ready to learn."
Five-County Health Fairs Connect 1,350 Families to Screening Services
Separately, AZ Blue and AZ Blue Health Choice ran community health fairs in Cochise, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and Yavapai counties this year, reaching 1,350 families. The events delivered 132 sports physicals, 130 dental screenings, and 237 biometric and A1C screenings. Organizers also distributed 700 fresh produce bags and 600 hygiene kits, alongside 57 hearing and vision screenings.
The backpack program and health fairs operate under a broader set of partnerships AZ Blue Health Choice maintains with schools, healthcare providers and community organizations across the state, targeting barriers spanning healthcare access, nutrition and basic school supplies that affect a child's ability to learn.