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For Immediate Release

Brooklyn Celebrates Haitian Heritage
Health Plus Makes Big Splash at Annual Parade

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Brooklyn, New York - May 30, 2007 — This past Sunday, after days of tropical weather, the spirit of the Caribbean spilled into the streets as the Sixth Annual Haitian Day Parade lit up like a firecracker along Toussaint Louverture (L’Ouverture?) Blvd. in “Little Haiti” -- better known as Nostrand Avenue -- in Brooklyn.  Once again, managed care organization Health Plus partnered with community leaders to sponsor the day-long event.

For local residents, the month of May is colorfully celebrated as Haitian Heritage Month, boasting a rich tapestry of cultural celebrations, culminating with the annual parade -- led by brightly dressed dancers, acrobats on stilts and enthused marchers -- that snakes its way through the heart of the community, all to the sound of a warm calypso beat.

“This has become a wonderful Memorial Day weekend tradition for us”, said Tom Early, Executive Director of Health Plus.  “The excitement is in the air, and it seems to get thicker each year. There is so much energy in this parade, and we’re just proud to be a part of it.”


Health Plus float, an energetic traditional dance troupe aboard and accompanied by a colorfully dressed acrobat on stilts, makes its way along Nostrand Avenue .

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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.