UnitedHealthcare awarded a $10,000 Community Care Award within the Coastal Virginia region to Violence Intervention & Prevention (V.I.P.), a Newport News-based small business that presented a big idea for enhancing community health and wellness.
The prize-winning idea was presented at a competition hosted by UnitedHealthcare; dozens of applications for this year’s competition were narrowed down to five finalists invited to pitch their project ideas at ODU’s Strome Entrepreneurial Center. Judges, including local health care experts and business leaders, evaluated the project submissions and selected finalists based on criteria such as community impact, creativity and feasibility.
V.I.P. provides counseling and mentorship services to youth in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton and Newport News. The company will use the award to develop a six-week “Nutrition Oasis” program designed to educate local youth on how healthy eating can impact their overall wellness.