By Susan Stith, vice president of diversity, inclusion, civic affairs and the Cigna Foundation
For more than 12 million American children, the next meal may not come with options, or worse, is not even guaranteed.1
Food insecurity and hunger can significantly impact a child’s short- and long-term physical and mental health. It may lead to poorer educational outcomes, contribute to developmental impairments in areas like language and motor skills, and lead to social and behavioral problems.1 At Cigna, we believe we can channel the power of communities to address childhood hunger.
Community engagement is at the heart of everything we do, and is why Cigna recently launched the Healthier Kids For Our Future® initiative. The five-year, $25 million initiative will offer our employees the opportunity to engage locally to help improve the health and well-being of children globally. More than 74,000 Cigna employees around the world can play a part in creating a lasting impact on the next generation and the future health of society as a whole. Throughout the initiative, Healthier Kids For Our Future® will aim to make a meaningful – and early – impact in the lives of children.
We’ll start by focusing on local efforts to help reduce childhood hunger and improve nutrition. Giving a child a meal not only provides them with essential nutrition, it provides them with security, and supports their health, well-being and development.
Children shouldn’t worry about where their next meal is coming from – instead, they should dream, play, learn and thrive. That’s why Cigna is committed to helping make sure children eat every day. We owe our next generation of scientists, teachers, doctors, pharmacists, firemen and more, peace of mind when it comes to their health. We can start with a meal today.
1Feeding America, What happens when a child faces hunger?