KENTUCKY STUDENTS CREATE A CULTURE OF BELONGING ON NATIONAL NO ONE EATS ALONE® DAY

Rhea-AI Summary

WellCare of Kentucky (NYSE: CNC) supported National No One Eats Alone Day on Feb. 26, 2026, providing free Belonging Boxes, curriculum, and art materials to 151 Kentucky schools so 64,000 students could participate.

The initiative, funded via the Centene Foundation, aims to reduce student social isolation and promote peer connection.

Key Figures

Participating Kentucky schools: 151 schools Participating Kentucky students: 64,000 students Assembly attendance: 800 students +5 more

8 metrics

Participating Kentucky schools 151 schools National No One Eats Alone Day in Kentucky

Participating Kentucky students 64,000 students National No One Eats Alone Day in Kentucky

Assembly attendance 800 students Academy at Shawnee schoolwide assembly

Loneliness grade impact 22 percent WHO study: more likely to receive lower grades

Program launch year 2012 No One Eats Alone Day initial launch

Integration year September 2024 Beyond Differences became part of Sandy Hook Promise

Belonging Boxes sent more than 3,100 Boxes sent to schools in all 50 states in 2025

Students reached over 1.5 million students National No One Eats Alone Day 2025 reach

Market Reality Check

Price: $42.69 Vol: Volume 4,146,040 is 0.63x...

low vol

$42.69 Last Close

Volume Volume 4,146,040 is 0.63x the 20-day average of 6,601,591, indicating quieter-than-normal trading before this release. low

Technical Shares at $42.69 are trading above the 200-day MA of $39.59 and about 35.35% below the 52-week high of $66.03.

Peers on Argus

CNC gained 0.76% while peers were mixed: MOH -2.99%, HUM -0.98%, CI +0.22%, ELV ...

CNC gained 0.76% while peers were mixed: MOH -2.99%, HUM -0.98%, CI +0.22%, ELV -0.37%, CVS +1.18%. The pattern points to stock-specific factors rather than a broad healthcare plans move.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 24 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Feb 24	Community investment	Positive	-2.2%	Health Net detailed over $284M in 2020–2025 California community programs.
Feb 17	Community report	Positive	+1.6%	Superior HealthPlan outlined 2025 Texas community support and funding activities.
Feb 13	School initiative	Positive	+3.6%	Coordinated Care supported No One Eats Alone Day in Washington schools.
Feb 12	Community project	Positive	-3.1%	Ambetter Health celebrated completion of a new playground in Florida.
Feb 11	School partnership	Positive	+2.1%	Superior HealthPlan and Centene Foundation backed No One Eats Alone in Texas.

Pattern Detected

Recent community and partnership announcements have produced mixed next-day moves, with both gains and declines following broadly positive social-impact news.

Recent Company History

Over recent months, CNC-related entities highlighted community investments and social-connection initiatives. On Feb 24, Health Net detailed over $284 million in California community investments. On Feb 17, Superior HealthPlan reported partnering with 832 groups in Texas. Multiple No One Eats Alone® Day collaborations, including Washington and Texas schools, and an Ambetter playground build underscore a consistent CSR narrative that today’s Kentucky-focused announcement continues.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement reinforces Centene’s ongoing focus on social connection and youth well-being, exte...

Analysis

This announcement reinforces Centene’s ongoing focus on social connection and youth well-being, extending prior No One Eats Alone® partnerships into 151 Kentucky schools and 64,000 students. In recent months, CNC has paired similar community efforts with large-scale investments and detailed regulatory filings. Investors watching this theme may track how sustained CSR activity sits alongside 2025 financial results, guidance reaffirmations, and evolving medical cost and policy trends.

Key Terms

managed care organization, suicidal ideation

2 terms

managed care organization technical

"WellCare of Kentucky, a leading managed care organization, and a company of Centene..."

A managed care organization is a company that arranges and pays for medical care by creating networks of doctors and hospitals, negotiating prices, and setting rules about what services are covered and when approval is needed. Investors watch MCOs because they act like a household budget manager for healthcare: profitability depends on balancing the premiums collected with claims paid, membership levels, and cost-control measures, so changes in enrollment, medical costs, or regulations can meaningfully affect revenue and margins.

suicidal ideation medical

"risk of stroke, heart disease, depression, and thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation."

Suicidal ideation is when a person thinks about, plans, or imagines ending their own life; it ranges from fleeting thoughts to specific plans. For investors, reports of suicidal ideation matter because they can signal serious safety, regulatory, legal, workforce or reputational risks for healthcare products, services or employers—like a dashboard warning light that can prompt investigations, product changes, recalls, litigation or shifts in public trust.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Sandy Hook Promise and WellCare of Kentucky Help Students Connect with Their Classmates

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of schools across the country celebrated National No One Eats Alone® Day, a program led by Sandy Hook Promise created to end social isolation and help students get to know one another, so that every student feels like they belong. WellCare of Kentucky, a leading managed care organization, and a company of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), worked with local schools to support this program that helps students connect.

Thanks to the ongoing partnership with the Centene Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Centene Corporation, WellCare of Kentucky provided curriculum and art project materials from the Sandy Hook Promise for National No One Eats Alone Day at no charge to Kentucky schools.

"Social isolation harms children both physically and mentally in terms of detrimental health impacts – some of which can be long-term – and it's also a major risk factor and warning sign for extreme situations like self-harm and violence," said Nicole Hockley, co-founder of Sandy Hook Promise.  "The power of personal connections is profoundly transformative, and that's what's so special about No One Eats Alone Day. Simple acts of kindness have the power to pull kids back from the brink – not only saving lives but changing them for the better. That's why we are so honored to partner with the Centene Foundation in this incredibly important mission to protect kids. By working together, we can create safer, healthier futures for children throughout our nation." 

For the seventh year in a row, WellCare supported National No One Eats Alone Day. Across Kentucky, 151 schools across the state participated. In all, 64,000 students took part in the program.

A special guest speaker, Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Muñoz, spoke about important topics such as bullying and self-esteem during a schoolwide assembly of 800 students at the Academy at Shawnee in Louisville as a part of their No One Eats Alone Day.

According to a recent World Health Organization study, teenagers who felt lonely were 22 percent more likely to receive lower grades in school. Loneliness and social isolation were cited with direct correlation to an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, depression, and thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation. The same study also linked social connection to improved physical and mental health.

Participating schools received a free Belonging Box, which included in-class lesson plans on social isolation and actionable steps to cultivate belonging. The Belonging Box also contained a student leadership guide, conversation starters to help students connect with someone new, and materials for Connect the Dots, an innovative art project that helps students share things about themselves and learn more about their classmates. All student materials are available in English and Spanish. All Belonging Boxes were provided at no charge to schools.

 "Social isolation has been identified as a precursor to bullying, self-harm, and community violence," said Corey Ewing, CEO and Plan President for WellCare of Kentucky. "WellCare is sponsoring the program because when students are given the appropriate tools, they will stand up for others as empathetic and caring activists, not passive bystanders."

No One Eats Alone Day was launched in a handful of schools in Northern California in 2012 by the nonprofit Beyond Differences, which became part of Sandy Hook Promise in September 2024. In 2025, Sandy Hook Promise sent more than 3,100 Belonging Boxes to schools in all 50 states, reaching over 1.5 million students on National No One Eats Alone Day.  Click here for additional information

Photographs from the event can be downloaded at https://www.flickr.com/gp/couragemedia/k2C6W8vYUS 

About Centene Foundation
The Centene Foundation (the "Foundation"), a private nonprofit focused on investing in economically challenged communities, is the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) ("Centene"). The Foundation supports projects and initiatives strategically aligned with Centene's mission-driven culture and enhances the work Centene is doing to remove the barriers to wellness that 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 Sandy Hook Promise
Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP's mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the life-saving, evidence-informed "Know the Signs" prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at-risk of hurting themselves or others, and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.

About WellCare of Kentucky
WellCare of Kentucky provides government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors, and individuals with complex needs primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans across the state. WellCare of Kentucky is a Centene Corporation company. For more information, visit wellcareky.com. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kentucky-students-create-a-culture-of-belonging-on-national-no-one-eats-alone-day-302698787.html

SOURCE WellCare of Kentucky

FAQ

How many Kentucky schools and students participated in National No One Eats Alone Day 2026 with CNC support?

151 Kentucky schools and 64,000 students participated with support from WellCare of Kentucky (NYSE: CNC). According to the company, support included free Belonging Boxes, lesson plans, and art materials distributed statewide to facilitate student connection and belonging.

What did the Belonging Box from WellCare of Kentucky (CNC) include for Feb. 26, 2026 activities?

The Belonging Box included lesson plans, a student leadership guide, conversation starters, and Connect the Dots art materials. According to the company, materials were provided free in English and Spanish to help classrooms address social isolation and build peer connections.

Why did WellCare of Kentucky (CNC) sponsor No One Eats Alone Day on Feb. 26, 2026?

WellCare sponsored the program to address social isolation and its health risks among students. According to the company, sponsorship aims to equip students with tools to reduce bullying, encourage empathy, and support mental and physical well-being through stronger peer connections.

Did any public figures participate in the No One Eats Alone Day events supported by CNC on Feb. 26, 2026?

Yes. Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Muñoz spoke to 800 students at the Academy at Shawnee as part of the event. According to the company, his assembly addressed bullying and self-esteem to reinforce program messages about belonging.

How does the Feb. 26, 2026 No One Eats Alone Day link to Sandy Hook Promise and Centene Foundation involvement?

No One Eats Alone Day is organized by Sandy Hook Promise and supported by the Centene Foundation philanthropy arm. According to the company, Centene-funded WellCare of Kentucky supplied curriculum and Belonging Boxes at no charge to participating Kentucky schools.