News Release

DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY'S VOLUNTEER PROGRAM RECEIVES $60,965 GRANT FROM THE BAXTER INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

Grant Will Support Initiative to Improve Health and Health Awareness of Children and Families in Bolivar County

CLEVELAND, Miss., March 18, 2003 -- The Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc., has awarded a $60,965 grant to the Delta Volunteers, a group of more than 1,000 Delta State students focused on addressing poverty-related issues and promoting positive social change. The grant will support the Volunteers for a Healthy Community initiative, which will center on improving the health and health awareness of children and families in Bolivar County.

The state of Mississippi leads the nation in heart disease death rates and in the prevalence of diabetes. In the country, it is first in population most underserved by primary care physicians and second in the number of hospitalizations and emergency room visits. The Mississippi Delta is the poorest region in the state and contributes disproportionately to the statewide statistics on ill health. The Delta region is challenged with high rates of joblessness, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, minimal access to health care and entrenched poverty.

The Volunteers for a Healthy Community initiative is one of the first formal efforts in the Bolivar County area to address the Delta State Health Initiative.

"We hope that this program will impact and create a positive change in health statistics in Bolivar County, and specifically in the Cleveland area," said Anna Long, director of Delta Volunteers, "Funding from The Baxter International Foundation will allow us to establish a formal effort to address the health needs of our community."

The project will mobilize students and community members to carry out a three-pronged approach to improve community health:

• The Healthy Baby Mentoring Program will focus on reducing low-birth weight babies and infant mortality by pairing 20-30 families with a mentor who will work with the families throughout the pregnancy and into the first 12 months of the babies' lives. The mentors will work with the families to promote and support healthy behavior, knowledge about pregnancy and parenting.
• The Healthy Child program will focus on health promotion for early
  childhood centers. Volunteers will compile 60 traveling trunk tool kits that will include intensive lesson plans that focus on particular health issues. Each lesson will have instructions for the childcare provider, a child component, and a take-home parent component. The tool kits will be distributed to 29 centers in Bolivar County, currently serving 1,900 children ages birth to five.
• The Kindergarten Family Nutrition Partners program will focus on providing nutrition classes to encourage healthy eating habits. Delta Volunteers will visit each of the 14 Cleveland School District Kindergarten classes once per week throughout the course of the year. Volunteers will use an integrated health and nutrition curriculum that targets nutrition and physical activity behaviors.

"We are pleased to support the Delta Volunteers in this unique program," said Patricia Morgan, executive director, The Baxter International Foundation, "The incorporation of these three initiatives will provide for a comprehensive approach to impact a larger number of community members and significantly affect primary health issues."

Delta Volunteers support volunteer projects that address poverty-related issues, promote positive social change, and develop cross-cultural understanding. Students and community members logged over 30,000 volunteer hours in 2001 working in and through agencies throughout Bolivar County. Volunteer efforts impact hospice care, early childhood centers, mental health, area hospitals, schools and other agencies. For more information or to volunteer call (662) 846-4311.

As the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc., The Baxter International Foundation helps to increase access to health care in the United States and other countries. In 2002, foundation grants totaling $3.6 million improved access to care for children, the uninsured and the elderly, helped prevent child abuse and neglect, promoted health education, expanded education opportunities for health-care providers, and helped victims of global disasters.

Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, assists health-care professionals and their patients with treatment of complex medical conditions, including cancer, hemophilia, immune disorders, kidney disease and trauma. The company applies its expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to make a meaningful difference in patients' lives. Baxter employs more than 1,100 people at its facility in Cleveland.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Media Contacts: Raquel Powers, Baxter, 847-948-4557 Anna Long, Delta Volunteers, 662-846-4311