MERCER ISLAND, Wash. (Feb. 6, 2008) – UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company, donated $10,000 to Volunteers of America – Everett Food Bank.

The donation will be used to provide food for Snohomish County’s hungry as well as strengthen Volunteers of America’s efforts in helping citizens in fostering independence, promoting self-sufficiency and supporting positive development through counseling and other educational programs.

“We are pleased to support the Volunteers of America – Everett Food Bank in its mission to ensure that our neediest citizens have access to the nutrition they need to stay healthy,” said Jonathan Hensley, UnitedHealthcare’s Northwest Region CEO.  “We are greatly encouraged by the efforts of community organizations like Volunteers of America that play a vital role in delivering much-needed services that help heal, educate and empower the most vulnerable among us.”

“The generous support of local businesses like UnitedHealthcare enable Volunteers of America’s Everett Food Bank to leverage available resources and maximize the amount of food we can provide to people in need in our community,” said Patty Leach, manager of Volunteers of America Western Washington – Everett Food Bank.  “This year, one in nine people will visit a food bank in Snohomish County.  In Everett alone, we serve 2,600 households a month.  These vulnerable households are struggling to stretch monthly budgets and often reduce meal portions or skip meals to make ends meet.  Private support is the only way we can consistently provide for the families coming to our food banks.”

According to recent data by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington ranks 12th in hunger nationwide.  Nearly 275,000 Washington households live with hunger or the threat of hunger.

UnitedHealthcare offers health benefits to more than 270,000 members throughout Washington and partners with about 100 hospitals and 10,000 physicians across the state.

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare (www.unitedhealthcare.com) provides a full spectrum of consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services.  The company organizes access to quality, affordable health care services on behalf of more than 26 million individual consumers, contracting directly with more than 550,000 physicians and care professionals and more than 4,800 hospitals nationwide to offer them broad, convenient access to services nationwide.  UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.