Health Plus - Trick or Treating with the Community

For Immediate Release

Trick or Treating with the Community
Health Plus Holds Halloween Events for Youngsters

Media Inquiries:Kathryn Soman (718) 491-7493
Customer Inquiries: Marketing Department (888) 809-8009

New York, NY - October 31, 2005 — Halloween is always fun for children, but its even more fun with Health Plus. Back for another year, Health Plus Halloween events took place in all boroughs, teaming up with local community groups to ensure that children would have a safe and festive place to celebrate Halloween. Each child who attended received a goody bag, the opportunity to have their face painted, and a picture with a familiar Halloween ghoul.

“It’s not easy to be a child these days,” said Tom Early, Executive Director of Health Plus. “especially when it comes to Halloween. There doesn’t really seem to be a place where our communities’ children can go to celebrate this holiday safely. At Health Plus, we are very proud of our Halloween events. It offers a great time to the kids, and their parents can feel good about how their children spend Halloween.”

Community Liaison Angela Perez, Ana Taurer of Jose Peralta’s Office, HP Marketing Manager Joseph Bouquet, and Assemblyman Jose Peralta stand with costumed children and HP staff outside of Mr. Peralta’s office during one of HP’s many Halloween events.

Mary Cali Dalton, Chief of Cromwell Recreation, Ada Rodriguez, Chief Marketing Officer of HP, and Mayor Bloomberg stand with costumed children and Health Plus staff during the Health Plus Halloween Fair that took place at the Cromwell Center on S.I., NY.

Health Plus Marketing Supervisor Salvatore Valle (left) and Special Events Manager Josette Pagan, standing with Councilman Miguel Martinez (right), pose with Bugs Bunny and costumed children at the HP office in Washington Hts.

Marketing Supervisor Lupe Rodriguez, dressed up as Naval Officer, poses with costumed children and Sponge Bob SquarePants at the HP office in the Bronx during one of HP’s many Halloween events.

Health Plus Marketing Manager Manuel Antonio Quezada stands with members of the NYPD as children wait to get their faces painted for Halloween last week during the Health Plus Halloween fair in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

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Health Plus, a not-for-profit, multi-cultural organization, is one of the fastest growing managed care organizations in New York City. It was established in 1984 with a commitment to provide coordinated quality health care and improving access to health care for uninsured and underserved families. In its annual review of managed care plans, the New York State Department of Health ranked Health Plus as the top plan for quality in its 2002 and 2003 "Consumer's Guide to Medicaid Managed Care in New York City." Health Plus is New York City's leading provider of Child Health Plus, a New York State Department of Health program that offers parents FREE or low-cost health insurance for children under the age of 19. "CRAIN'S New York Business" magazine ranked Health Plus fifth among the largest health maintenance organizations in the New York area.