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Missouri students take part in No One Eats Alone Day

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — Last week, students at Atlanta Middle School participated in activities designed to teach them about social isolation and the negative impact it can have on a student’s health and academic performance.

Home State Health hosted an assembly on Feb. 23 in honor of National No One Eats Alone Day, created by the non-profit Beyond Differences. More than 500 students participated in the initiative designed to promote inclusion.

“Social isolation is a preventable public health problem affecting millions of children every day who suffer in silence,” says Laura Talmus, co-founder and executive director of Beyond Differences. “We’ve learned through teachers and families that No One Eats Alone is a powerful step and positive initiative that can change the culture in schools to be a more welcoming place for all.”

Social isolation has been identified as a precursor to bullying, self-harm and community violence. Students have shown that given the tools, they will stand up for others as empathetic and caring activists, not passive bystanders.

Part of the assembly included students turning the lessons into action. The middle-schoolers sat with students they didn’t know at lunch or those who may have felt left out. They were given icebreaker topics to discuss to get highlight their commonalities.

“We are honored to be involved in the celebration of social inclusion in schools across Missouri,” said Nathan Landsbaum, President and CEO of Home State Health.

Atlanta Middle School was one of more than 2,000 schools across the country that celebrated No One Eats Alone Day. The initiative reached more than 1 million students.