Tampa, Fla. (PRWEB) August 22, 2014 -- WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) supported Action Ministries’ Smart Lunch, Smart Kid program to provide nutritional support and educational enrichment opportunities for children who were at risk of going hungry this summer in Butts, Carroll, Clark, Columbia, Dekalb, Fayette, Floyd, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Lamar and Richmond counties. In Georgia, approximately 800,000 children receive free or reduced-price lunches during the school year, and when school lets out for the summer, they lose access to an important source of nutrition.
This is the second year that WellCare has partnered with Action Ministries to make and deliver free lunches, and provide information on healthy living for school-age children in the state. Over the past two years, WellCare has given more than $33,000 in sponsorships and donations, and volunteered 487 hours to provide healthy lunches to more than 3,500 children. WellCare also provides health care screenings including body mass index and blood pressure testing, and fitness and nutritional counseling, as well as information about childhood safety for the children and their parents.
“Summer is typically viewed as a time for play and adventure for children, but we know that it can mean reduced access to food and services for the low-income children we serve,” said Roman Kulich, WellCare’s region president, Georgia and South Carolina. “Our work with Action Ministries is critical in providing the holistic support that many children need to be healthy and happy.”
“Research shows proper nutrition in childhood plays an important role in a young person’s physical and mental growth, but a large number of children in Georgia are classified as ‘food insecure’ meaning they have limited or uncertain access to adequate food, especially during the summer months,” said John R. Moeller, Jr., president and CEO of Action Ministries. “We are grateful to our corporate partners, such as WellCare, and our many volunteers for their support as we work to expand the Smart Lunch, Smart Kid program to help even more children and families across the state.”
To learn more about Action Ministries and the Smart Lunch, Smart Kid program, please visit http://www.actionministries.net.
As of June 30, 2014, WellCare serves approximately 617,000 Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® plan members, 29,000 Medicare Advantage plan members and 53,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in Georgia.
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare offers a variety of health plans for families, children, and the aged, blind, and disabled, as well as prescription drug plans. The company serves approximately 3.9 million members nationwide as of June 30, 2014. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at http://www.wellcare.com.
About Action Ministries
Smart Lunch, Smart Kid is a program of Action Ministries, a nonprofit that provides an extensive network of community partners and volunteers with the tools and expertise to lead fellow Georgians out of poverty. By meeting basic needs of hunger relief, housing and education, Action Ministries removes barriers that prevent thousands of Georgians from breaking the cycle of poverty and realizing their potential. For more information, visit http://www.actionministries.net or http://www.facebook.com/ActionMinistriesGeorgia.
Marq Caughell - Media Relations, WellCare Health Plans, Inc., https://www.wellcare.com/, +1 813-206-3956, [email protected]
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