National No One Eats Alone® Day

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Fast Facts

WHAT: A celebration to promote the creation of lunchtime inclusion
WHEN: Second Friday in February
STAT: 22 percent of teenagers felt lonely in school, especially during lunch
VIBE: Acceptance, Encouragement, Inclusion

NATIONAL NO ONE EATS ALONE® DAY

National No One Eats Alone Day is celebrated each year during the second Friday in February to promote the creation of lunchtime of inclusion. Started by the nonprofit Beyond Differences, a program of Sandy Hook Promise, National No One Eats Alone Day was created to end social isolation and help students get to know one another, so that every student feels like they belong.

#NoOneEatsAloneDay

According to a 2025 study by the World Health Organization, 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.

National No One Eats Alone® Day is organized by students for students across the nation to look beyond differences and find ways to start conversations at lunchtime – with everyone. No one eats alone.

Did you know?

Over 5,000 schools across the country to celebrate National No One Eats Alone® Day!

This year on No One Eats Alone® Day, every student in every lunchroom across the country will be eating with someone else. Students have taken up the charge to see to it that they invite other students to join them. They are making room and filling empty seats or filling tables that were once occupied by only one student. They're starting conversations, closing the divide, and sitting with others. And they're getting to know people across the table. No matter their differences, no matter what, no one eats alone.

HOW TO OBSERVE NO ONE EATS ALONE DAY

Join the movement. If your school doesn't participate, encourage them to start.
Create an inclusive lunchroom at your school and encourage each other to engage in positive conversations.
Try these ice breakers:
- Start with a joke.
- Offer a compliment.
- Find something in common.
- Ask for an opinion about an assignment.
- Mention a movie you saw this weekend.
- Tell a funny story about yourself.
- Talk about the menu - especially your favorite foods.
- Bring a card game to play.
Find out more at No One Eats Alone® and use #NoOneEatsAloneDay to share on social media.

Free Belonging Box

Schools that participate in No One Eats Alone® Day will receive a free Belonging Box, which includes in-class lessons on social isolation and actionable steps to cultivate belonging. The Belonging Box also contains:

Student leadership guide
Conversation Cards to help students connect with someone new
No One Eats Alone stickers
Wristbands
Backpack pins

Participating schools will also receive in their Belonging Box materials for Hearts and Feathers, a new collaborative art project that helps students engage and discover things they have in common. Once Hearts and Feathers is completed, students can put them together in the lunchroom to create a mural showcasing connection. All student-facing materials are available in English and Spanish.

NO ONE EATS ALONE DAY HISTORY

No One Eats Alone was created by the nonprofit Beyond Differences in 2012 and piloted in a handful of schools in Northern California. On September 16, 2024, Beyond Differences became part of Sandy Hook Promise. The integration brought together two youth-centered, national organizations with aligned missions and complementary strengths.

Since 2017, Centene Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Centene Corporation, has sponsored National No One Eats Alone Day with curriculum and art project materials provided at no charge to schools and youth-focused community organizations. As of today, thousands of schools across the country.

No One Eats Alone FAQ's

Can anyone participate on this day?

While No One Eats Alone Day was created by students for students, that doesn't mean you can't incorporate this positive celebration into your everyday life.