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11 Texas Schools, Superior HealthPlan & The Centene Foundation Create a Culture of Belonging Through National No One Eats Alone® Day

Date: 03/07/24

For the eighth year in a row, Superior HealthPlan (“Superior”), a leading managed care organization in Texas and wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), supported No One Eats Alone® Day, a prevention initiative aimed at fostering inclusion and a culture of belonging in schools. Eleven Texas schools hosted events throughout February, with the help of Superior, reaching thousands of students across Texas. Centene Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation, sponsored the event.

“At Superior, we’re committed to supporting the health and well-being of children all across Texas, and that includes providing them with the skills and resources they need to support each other,” said Mark Sanders, Superior HealthPlan president and CEO. “We are proud to partner with Beyond Differences to celebrate No One Eats Alone Day and shine a light on the social issues that affect students in Texas and beyond.”

The 11 participating schools in Texas were:

  • Ojeda Middle School, Austin
  • Dobie Middle School, Austin
  • Cunningham Middle School, Corpus Christi
  • Sam Houston Elementary, Houston
  • Boys and Girls Club of Deep East Texas, Lufkin
  • Cavazos Elementary, Odessa
  • Arnold Elementary, San Antonio
  • Robert R. Rojas Elementary, Socorro
  • Communities in Schools, Waco
  • Rudy Silva Elementary, Weslaco
  • All Hands Community Center, Wichita Falls

According to public health research, social isolation has been found to have a 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, more than 1 million students were 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 social connections, students worked 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,” said 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.”