The National Urban League presented its inaugural Partnership for Opportunity Award in the foundation category to The Baxter International Foundation at the organization's 2001 National Urban League Conference Power Breakfast in Washington, D.C on July 30th.

The Pinellas County Urban League chapter in St. Petersburg, Florida, nominated The Baxter International Foundation for the award, which recognizes a corporation, foundation or government agency partnership with an Urban League affiliate that exemplifies extraordinary local community leadership, affiliate partnership and volunteerism that contribute understanding and harmony to the nation's diverse landscape.

The National Urban League is the nation's oldest and largest community-based movement empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. The Baxter International Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc., a global medical products and services company. National Urban League president Hugh B. Price presented the award to Baxter International Inc.'s chief financial officer and senior vice president, Brian Anderson.

"Our partnership with The Baxter International Foundation has proven to be a vital resource for the health management of community residents that are minority, low income and without health insurance," said James O. Simmons, president and chief executive officer of the Pinellas County Urban League. "There is no doubt that The Baxter International Foundation shares the vision and mission of the Urban League to improve the lives of all in need through opportunity and equality."

Following the donation of a 35-foot mobile health unit, the Pinellas County Urban League found itself in need of resources to get its health screening program off the ground and out to the thousands of community residents who were in need of health-care services. Many of them being minority residents without health insurance. Thomas Whitney, director of human resources for Baxter's Largo facility and board member for the Pinellas County Urban League, suggested looking to The Baxter International Foundation.

The foundation responded with personal and financial support that enabled the Pinellas County Urban League to establish a self-sustaining health-screening program. With the foundation's help, it hired a program coordinator, a driver for the mobile health unit and secured additional funding from other community and governmental organizations.

The health screenings and related disease prevention activities provided by the program largely focus on cardiovascular health and immunization of older adults. Over the past year nearly 900 residents have participated in the screenings for high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol and other conditions, and nearly 25 percent were referred for follow-up care.

"I applaud The Pinellas County Urban League for having the foresight to initiate the health-screening program to address a critical health-care need. We have welcomed the opportunity to partner with them in establishing a self-sustaining program that can make a lasting impact in providing quality health care for medically underserved, minority residents," said Anderson

The judges for the award unanimously agreed that The Baxter International Foundation best exemplified the qualities that would have a lasting impact on the Pinellas County community. Baxter employs nearly 1000 people at its facility in Largo, Fla., which manufacture products for automated blood cell separation and collection systems and dialysis instrumentation.