Health Plus - A Thanksgiving Mitzvah

For Immediate Release

A Thanksgiving Mitzvah
Health Plus Donates 100s of Kosher Turkeys to Those in Need

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

NEW YORK, NY - November 23, 2006 — Health Plus, the managed care organization, kicked-off another Thanksgiving Turkey give-a-away this week -- an annual initiative that will end by distributing nearly 7,000 free turkeys to New Yorkers in need. And, once again, Health Plus has reached out to its partners in the Jewish community, delivering several hundred kosher turkeys for distribution to the Jewish community. To ensure that these turkeys reached families in need, Health Plus worked with the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, Queens Jewish Community Council, the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula, and The United Jewish Council of the Lower East Side, an event at which New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was on hand to present the free birds.

This yearly event ensures a festive thanksgiving for many underprivileged New Yorkers and their families. Health Plus is proud to support such worthy efforts, and was delighted with the participation of other organizations that assisted with the distribution.

“Many of us take it for granted that a turkey dinner is part of Thanksgiving,” says Tom Early, Executive Director of Health Plus, “but many New Yorkers simply can’t afford one. I’m very happy that Health Plus could make such a meaningful contribution to the quality of life for so many families during this holiday season. Together with our many partners throughout the city, we’ve helped people enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday they deserve.”

(from left) Illene Marcus, Kathryn Soman, Esther Schenker, and Harvey Gordon.

(from left) Jonathan Zalisky, Benny Wechsler, Cynthia Zalisky, Helene Weinstein, Akiva Goldfarb, Kathryn Soman, Joel Kaplan, Illene Marcus, and Yolanda Mulero.

Tom Early, Executive Director for Health Plus, and State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver present a free kosher turkey to a resident of the Lower East Side, as part of the Thanksgiving Turkey Give-Away.

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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.