FOUR INDIANA SCHOOLS AND MHS PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL NO ONE EATS ALONE DAY
Date: 02/12/21
INDIANAPOLIS – (February 12, 2021) – A positive prevention initiative designed to promote inclusion among students was celebrated this year virtually across four Indiana schools on Friday, February 12, 2021 with the help of Managed Health Services (MHS). The schools included Maplewood Elementary School and Stout Field Elementary School (Wayne Township Schools) in Indianapolis and Northwood Middle School and Shawnee Middle School in Fort Wayne.
Representatives from MHS hosted the online event in honor of No One Eats Alone® Day, created by the nonprofit Beyond Differences™. The event featured a bullying prevention program performed by Indianapolis-based Young Actors Theatre. Hundreds of students participated in activities designed to teach them about social isolation and the negative impact it can have on health and academic performance.
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.
“At MHS, we’re committed to helping children lead healthier lives, and that includes providing them with safe environments to discuss challenges, especially amid COVID-19,” said Kevin O’Toole, MHS President and CEO. “We are proud to partner with Beyond Differences to virtually celebrate No One Eats Alone Day and give students in Indiana the tools they need to remain focused on their health and social lives.”
"The pandemic has given us all a taste of social isolation and the desire to feel connected,” said Laura Talmus, the co-founder and executive director of Beyond Differences. “Students and teachers need No One Eats Alone -- now more than ever -- to continue changing the culture in middle schools to be a more welcoming place for everyone regardless of their differences.”
The four schools joined more than 2,500 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.