YMCA and Florida Blue Confirm Their Commitment to Jacksonville’s Health & Fitness

The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast and Florida Blue are collaborating on a state-of-the-art fitness center that will serve the greater Jacksonville area.

The 12,000 square foot wellness center inside the new Riverside YMCA will be named the “Florida Blue Fitness Center” in recognition of a $1 million donation from the company dedicated to improving the lives of residents of Jacksonville.

The  center will include an entire floor of the latest exercise equipment, functional training space, group exercise studios, communal space for socialization, and an upper level indoor track with sweeping views of the St. Johns River.

“A healthier future for our community begins with partnerships just like this one,” said YMCA of Florida’s First Coast CEO Eric Mann. “When organizations and individuals interested in improving the health and well-being of our community work together, we can leverage our resources and realize an even greater impact.”

The new Riverside Y will also include 800 square feet of Florida Blue retail space in the Luther and Blanche Coggin Healthy Living Center. Selected services and programs from the Florida Blue Retail Center concept, combined with the strengths of two medical partners inside a new, modernized YMCA, will stand out as a model for the future of community wellness collaborations.

Florida Blue’s mission is to help people and communities achieve better health. With nearly 5,000 employees and their families calling Jacksonville home, the company realizes the importance of supporting organizations that focus on providing residents opportunities to live healthy and active lifestyles.

”It is an honor to be a key contributor to the new Riverside YMCA that will serve as the cornerstone of health and fitness for downtown Jacksonville,” said Pat Geraghty, chairman and CEO for Florida Blue.

Construction of the new Riverside Y is expected to begin later this year.

The Y
For more than a century, The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast has been dedicated to strengthening the northeast Florida community. Today, the Y provides men, women and children of all ages, and from all walks of life opportunities to build stronger bonds, live healthy and become more engaged with their communities. With a commitment to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y ensures that every individual has access to the essentials needed to learn, grow and thrive. Learn more at www.FirstCoastYMCA.org.

Florida Blue

Florida Blue, Florida’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, is a leader in Florida’s health care industry. Our mission is to help people and communities achieve better health. Florida Blue has approximately 4 million health care members and serves 15.5 million people in 16 states through its affiliated companies. Florida Blue is a not-for- profit, policyholder-owned, tax-paying mutual company. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., it is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information, visit www.FloridaBlue.com.