WELLESLEY, Mass. —  Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation awarded nearly $2.9 million in grants to 710 nonprofit organizations in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2014.

Since its inception in 1980, the foundation has granted close to $133 million in funds throughout the four states.

More than $1.5 million in grants was distributed in 2014 to the foundation’s childhood obesity prevention initiatives within the region, with funds supporting programs that promote nutrition, healthy eating, and physical activity.

“Our eight-year Growing up Healthy initiative taught us what works to help children eat better and move more,” said Karen Voci, president of the Harvard Pilgrim Foundation. “We are very proud of our efforts to help these organizations prevent and combat childhood obesity, create health equality throughout the region, and improve the overall health of our communities.”

And, Voci said, “Starting in 2015, we are taking an opportunity to build on what we have learned by helping families and communities become healthier — starting with what they eat.”

In the coming months, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation will provide grants to not-for-profit programs that help get fresh, healthy food to low and moderate income families.

In addition to the $1.5 million in grants, the foundation also awarded $555,950 to nearly 670 organizations in 256 communities through Harvard Pilgrim’s Community Spirit 9/11 Mini-Grants program. This program allows each Harvard Pilgrim Health Care employee to annually award a $500 grant, completely funded by the foundation, to the charity of his or her choice.

Since the inception of this employee-directed community grant program in 2002, the foundation has contributed nearly $4 million to thousands of organizations in the region. Areas of support have included schools, food pantries, youth development organizations, and fundraising events.

In 2014, Harvard Pilgrim employee contributions, made through the company’s annual employee fundraising campaign, totaled $41,000 which was distributed to Camp Sunshine in Casco; Boston Healthcare for the Homeless; and United Ways of New England. The foundation also contributed $2,500 to the Boston Firefighters Credit Union in support of the families of the deceased firefighters who lost their loves in the Boston Back Bay fire and rescue effort in March of 2014.

In 2014, Maine grant recipients included:

$15,000: Cultivating Community in Portland, garden construction and scholarship;

$14,600: Food AND Medicine in Brewer, farmers’ market expansion;

$11,080: My Place Teen Center in Westbrook, cooking equipment for teaching;

$10,600: FARMS (Focus on Agriculture in Rural ME Schools) in Damariscotta, cooking equipment for teaching;

$10,000: Washington County Food and Fuel Alliance in Machias, food pantry equipment and education;

$8,500: Oxford Hills Alan Day Community Garden in Norway, development of a food forest;

$8,420: Pearson’s Town Farm at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish, garden expansion for college food service and food pantry;

$8,345: University of Maine Cooperative Extension in South Paris, development of a teaching garden;

$5,650: Kennebec Restorative Community Harvest Program in Augusta, garden equipment for prison garden;

$3,100: Yarmouth Community Garden in Yarmouth, garden irrigation equipment;

$2,500: Old Orchard Beach Community Food Pantry in Old Orchard Beach, cooking program pilot;

$2,000: Somerset Grist Mill Food Hub in Skowhegan, food education program for children;

$5,000: Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership in Portland, honors dinner; and

$5,000: The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges  in South Portland, Agricultural Sciences program at Kennebec Valley Community College.