Boys & Girls Clubs, Meridian, and The Centene Foundation Create a Culture of Belonging Through National No One Eats Alone® Day
Date: 03/27/24
Benton Harbor, MI
Nearly 200 children and teens learned about combating social isolation and cultivating new friendships through peer discussions and creating a mural.
BENTON HARBOR, MI (March 27, 2024) – Meridian in Michigan, a leading managed care organization in the state of Michigan and a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), supported No One Eats Alone® Day (NOEAD), a national prevention initiative aimed at fostering inclusion and a culture of belonging among children and teens. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan hosted three separate events at two elementary school sites and its teen center in Benton Harbor throughout March to model the way for students to end social isolation. The programs were hosted in partnership with Meridian and the Centene Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation and sponsor of NOEAD.
"Meridian is proud to partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs to teach children and youth the importance of developing strong peer support systems for themselves so they feel more connected and have someone to confide in about difficulties they may be facing at home or in school,” said Dr. Kay Judge, chief medical officer, at Meridian. “Social isolation has emerged as a significant concern in our society, with various studies showing that feeling socially isolated at school negatively affects students’ mental and physical health and academic performance. No One Eats Alone Day is one way Meridian is working to improve the well-being of children across Michigan.”
“One of the hallmarks of the Boys & Girls Club is bringing kids together and fostering positive relationships and connections in their lives, “said Alloyd Blackmon, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan. “As we build community within our clubs, we are building community across Southwest Michigan. When we expanded into serving the Bridgman community, one of the most poignant asks from the kids after the pandemic was that they simply wanted to eat lunch together—the separation and isolation they experienced during COVID had taken a tremendous toll on their social emotional health. We’re proud that our programming across four focus areas—Healthy Lifestyles, Character & Leadership Development, Academic Success, and Life & Workforce Readiness—is able to meet the needs of our members, and we can strengthen that impact further by partnering with groups like Meridian for events like this.”
In all, nearly 200 students participated at Boys & Girls Club (BGC) sites this year. The event kicked off on March 14 at the Bridgman Elementary School site, followed the next day by Eastwood Elementary School in Sturgis before closing activities on March 27 at the BGC Teen Center in Benton Harbor, where its Keystone Group of student leaders led the event. Meridian staff volunteered and assisted BGC staff and the children in making murals to commemorate the day. Meridian also provided a prize wheel, treasure chest, sunglasses, frisbees, wristbands, pizza and cold beverages.
According to public health research, social isolation has been found to have negative impact on the mental wellbeing of children, leading to issues such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, thoughts of suicide, and higher chances of engaging in substance abuse. A study by Beyond Differences indicated that when students are provided programs to learn about social isolation and given the tools to connect with classmates, nearly 85 percent of the students felt empowered to be leaders and create a culture of acceptance and belonging at their school.
The nonprofit organization Beyond Differences® established No One Eats Alone as an initiative to combat social isolation. This year, over 1 million students are expected to participate in activities designed to teach them about social isolation and the negative impact it can have on health and academic performance. With in-class lessons, interactive exercises and a creative art project that focuses on growing our social connections, students will work together to make their school more welcoming and accepting for everyone.
"This year's No One Eats Alone theme, Let's Grow: Planting New Connections, was inspired by the U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on social connection where he spotlights the negative health effects of social isolation and emphasizes that connections need to be nurtured like a garden," says Laura Talmus, co-founder, and executive director of Beyond Differences. "Our curriculum dives deep into recognizing emotions, understanding social isolation and gives students tools to be social isolation disruptors and ambassadors of belonging."
About Meridian
Meridian in Michigan provides government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors, and individuals with complex medical needs primarily through Medicaid (Meridian), Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Wellcare), Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MeridianComplete), and the Health Insurance Marketplace (Ambetter from Meridian). Meridian is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives. For more information, visit www.mimeridian.com.
About the Centene Foundation
The Centene Foundation (the "Foundation"), a private nonprofit focused on investing in economically challenged communities, is the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation ("Centene"). The Foundation supports projects and initiatives strategically aligned with Centene's purpose-driven culture and enhances the work Centene is doing to remove the barriers to wellness underserved and low-income populations face. The Foundation is committed to addressing social determinants of health and improving health equity in three distinct areas of focus: healthcare access, social services, and education. To learn more, visit the Centene Foundation's website.
About Beyond Differences
Nonprofit Beyond Differences' mission is to inspire students to end social isolation in middle schools and create a culture of belonging for everyone. Founded in 2010, Beyond Differences has created year-round programs to tackle a wide range of issues that lead to social isolation. When educators register for National Programs -– No One Eats Alone, Know Your Classmates®, Be Kind Online® -- they also get access to Community-Inspired Curriculum written by Beyond Differences' National Teen Board. These include Queer Visibility, CIRV (Centering Immigrant and Refugee Voices), and Stand Up for AAPI Youth. All curriculum and activity kits are provided free for schools. Currently, more than 10,000 schools have used Beyond Differences programs and materials. For more information, visit nooneeatsalone.org.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan
Boys & Girls Clubs has served youth in Southwest Michigan since 1998. The Club provides after school and summer programs promoting academic and career development, character and leadership skills, and healthy lifestyles for nearly 1,500 youth and teens each year at two Benton Harbor legacy sites: the Fettig Youth Campus and Joel E. Smilow Teen Center, as well as community-based locations in Benton Heights, Bridgman, St. Joseph, and Sturgis. Learn more at www.bgcswmi.org.
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