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For Immediate Release

The Perfect Day for a Parade
Health Plus Wows Crowd at Haitian Day Parade

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Brooklyn, New York - May 29, 2008 — This past Sunday, while the first hints of summer permeated the air across the New York City Area, the streets of Brooklyn were alive with  the spirit of the Caribbean, as the Seventh Annual Haitian Day Parade made its way down Toussaint L’Ouverture Blvd. in “Little Haiti” -- better known as Nostrand Avenue.  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 enthusiastic marchers -- that snakes its way through the heart of the community, all to the sound of a warm calypso beat.

“We love being a part of this parade”, said Tom Early, Executive Director of Health Plus.  “The energy is so strong, and it really feels like more than a parade; it is a celebration, and we are very happy to come out and celebrate with our friends and family in the Haitian Community.”


Crowds gather around the Health Plus staff as they lead their float and a procession of festive revelers along Nostrand Avenue in the section of Brooklyn often referred to as “Little Haiti”

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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.