MINNEAPOLIS, November 17, 2008—Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation has developed a 30-minute program and DVD about community building by nonprofits in the Twin Cities and around the state.

The presentation is entitled "Shared Values: Health and Community--Shaping Minnesota's Future with New Americans." It showcases a diversity coalition in Minnesota that is working to identify common goals across cultures to create visible, tangible community improvements that benefit all its residents.

The program depicts some of Minnesota’s newest arrivals from Southeast Asia and Africa as they learn about their new community.

The program, which aired in Minnesota in October, explores how individuals and communities become more interconnected and healthier when there are strong social support networks and opportunities for people to become involved in their community and bond together.

The experiences of immigrants from Myanmar and Cameroon are also chronicled as they learn about their new community. The production is a joint project of the Foundation and Twin Cities Public Television.

It is downloadable at this link.