Community Blog
Posted by The MolinaCares Accord

Molina Healthcare of Illinois Celebrated the Holidays by Giving Back 

During the 2024 holiday season, Molina Healthcare of Illinois (Molina) celebrated by giving back through festive events, trusted partnerships, and other initiatives that brought critical resources to communities across Illinois. Molina was proud to work alongside our community partners to bring holiday cheer to Illinoisians during a busy and often stressful time of year.  

In Illinois, 1 in 8 people experience food insecurity daily and 11.6% of Illinoisians live in poverty, making the holiday season especially stressful. Through these events, Molina supported local families in need of a nutritious, accessible meal while providing community members with valuable information and resources.  

To kick off the holiday giving in November, Molina partnered with Unidad Dominicana (UNIDOM), Alderperson Jessie Fuentes, State Senator Omar Aquino (D-02), and State Representative Lilian Jimenez (D-04) for the annual Turkey Giveaway. During this event alone, Molina distributed more than 250 turkeys and nearly 300 hot dinners to Cook County residents. In addition to providing food to the community, Molina distributed health information on subjects ranging from managing diabetes to preventing lead poisoning that helped educate the community on critical health topics.  

Molina hosted additional Thanksgiving meal giveaways, drive-thru events, and food distributions throughout November, donating more than 630 turkeys, distributing over 600 hot dinners, and providing hundreds of bags filled with ingredients to make festive Thanksgiving side dishes. These events were made possible with the support and dedication of our community partners who hosted and sponsored the holiday festivities, including SIHF Healthcare, the New Roseland Community Hospital, Bethany United Church of Christ, Spirit of Sharing Soup Kitchen, and Focus on our Community, Inc. NFP, IL. 

Molina continued spreading holiday cheer in December, hosting and participating in various health and wellness events, food giveaways, and toy drives. Bringing holiday cheer to those in need, Molina helped surprise 500 Langston Hughes Elementary students with a visit from Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the Grinch at the Daisie Foundation’s 8th annual Holiday Magic event. Molina also partnered with Hamdard Health Alliance to sponsor the Annual Winter Meal and Toy Drive to provide families with fresh produce and toys.   

During the holidays, health often takes a backseat to the hustle and bustle. To help address this and keep health top of mind, Molina collaborated with local organizations, including the New Roseland Community Hospital, Catholic Charities, Equal Hope, Roberti House, Erie Family Center, and the University of Chicago to host a Healthy and Happy Holidays event that brought health care directly to the community. Through the event, Waukegan residents received mammogram screenings, flu vaccines, and health resources covering a range of topics, including redetermination information, breast cancer screening resources, and more. With more than 450,000 Chicagoans living in poverty, showing up for those in need of extra support during the holiday season was critical. The Molina team was proud to wrap up the year by working with our community partners to help make the holiday season a little less stressful for families across Illinois.