FOUR NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS AND WELLCARE OF NORTH CAROLINA PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL NO ONE EATS ALONE DAY

RALEIGH, N.C., April 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A prevention initiative designed to promote inclusion and build a culture of belonging among students was celebrated this year across four North Carolina schools March 3 – March 24 with the help of WellCare of North Carolina. The schools included New Hope Elementary, Clarke Elementary, Hawley Middle School, and Henderson YMCA.

Representatives from WellCare of North Carolina hosted the in-person event in honor of No One Eats Alone® Day, created by the nonprofit Beyond Differences™. More than 100 students participated in activities designed to teach them about social isolation and the negative impact it can have on health and academic performance. Students were able to participate in fun and engaging activities paired with video demonstrations and promotional items for school staff to use with them.

Social isolation affects millions of students and has been identified as a precursor to bullying, self-harm, and community violence. Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, promoting mental health has gained increased importance as students deal with the additional stressors from the pandemic and quarantining. Through No One Eats Alone, students have shown that if they are given the tools, they will stand up for others as empathetic and caring activists, not passive bystanders.

"No One Eats Alone Day is a continuation of WellCare of North Carolina's efforts and strong commitment to serving North Carolinians amid the COVID-19 pandemic," said Troy Hildreth, WellCare's plan president and CEO in North Carolina. "The most recent of these efforts included distributing 50,000 bottles of medical-grade hand sanitizer to schools and other community partners to help promote student's physical safety. We are excited to continue to support these students beyond physical health in our efforts to reduce social isolation."

"The last two years have been beyond challenging for students, particularly when it comes to their own mental health and wellbeing. No One Eats Alone is truly an exceptional Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum because our high school Teen Board has helped shape it, ensuring that it will resonate with middle schoolers.  It contains all the activities they need to reconnect with classmates and create belonging for everyone," said Laura Talmus, co-founder and executive director of Beyond Differences.

These schools joined thousands of schools across the country that celebrated No One Eats Alone Day. The initiative reached more than 1 million students in all 50 states.

No One Eats Alone Day is sponsored by the Centene Charitable Foundation. 

About WellCare of North Carolina
Headquartered in Raleigh, WellCare of North Carolina provides government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors, and individuals with complex needs primarily through Medicaid as one of the state's Medicaid Prepaid Health Plans (WellCare of North Carolina), Marketplace (WellCare of North Carolina by Celtic Insurance Company), Medicare Advantage (Wellcare), and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Wellcare). WellCare of North Carolina is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives. For more information, visit www.wellcare.com/nc.

Any reference in this press release to any person, organization, activity, or services related to North Carolina Medicaid does not constitute or imply the endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

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SOURCE WellCare of North Carolina