North Star Child Advocacy Center has received the Highmark Bright Blue Futures Award. From left are Greg Collins, executive director; Candice Gabriel, program manager; Shannan Tschopp, board member; and Julie Nutter, assistant director. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — On Monday and Tuesday, representatives of North Star Child Advocacy Center traveled to Pittsburgh to receive one of 14 awards being given by Highmark Inc.

The 2025 Highmark Bright Blue Futures Award honors exceptional organizations demonstrating a measurable, lasting impact in expanding access to quality care. Made possible by the Highmark Foundation, grants were awarded to organizations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, western and northeastern New York, and West Virginia.

North Star was awarded $25,000 in unrestricted funds to help the center where it is needed the most. Nine organizations were in the same award category as North Star.

“We were truly humbled by this award,” said Greg Collins, executive director of NSCAC. “One of the most humbling things was that Highmark contacted us and asked us to apply and was persistent and super helpful in getting the application in.

“This award will help us continue to provide guidance, protection and help to children and non-offending family members affected by physical and sexual abuse.”

Collins said Assistant Director Julie Nutter wrote for the award in the midst of many other grants happening with tight time constraints.

“This is what Julie does for us, and she came through again. We are truly blessed to have someone that works as hard as she does,” he said.

“We are so thrilled that our staff and work have been recognized by Highmark. This financial award is so crucial to what we are doing daily,” said North Star Board of Directors President Janelle Seevers. “To be at a place where so many are reaching out to us and asking us to apply for grants or awards is exactly where we hoped to be. It says that we are trusted in what we do and say and that our mission to help and heal abused children is worth their time and money. We are so very grateful to Highmark for this award.”

The Highmark Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private, charitable organization dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and quality of life for individuals who reside in the communities served by Highmark Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. The Foundation awards high-impact grants to charitable organizations that implement evidence-based programs aimed at improving community health. Central to the Foundation’s mission is identifying and continuously reevaluating the regions’ prevailing health needs. By doing so, the Highmark Foundation remains at the forefront of those needs, well-equipped to pinpoint the issues that most urgently need support, officials said.

In 2021, the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health and the United Concordia Dental Charitable Fund were established to further support the ongoing work of the Highmark Foundation.

In 2023, the Highmark Bright Blue Futures Awards were established as an awards and recognition program to honor exceptional organizations demonstrating a measurable, lasting impact in community health through outcomes-based initiatives.

Visit www.highmarkfoundation.org for more information.