Fidelis Care and the Centene Foundation Announce $1.1 Million Commitment to Develop Wellness and Entrepreneurial Center with the Buffalo Urban League

Center designed to nurture social entrepreneurship, facilitate wellness and strengthen organizations focused on Black, Indigenous and People of Color in Buffalo's East Side 

BUFFALO, Aug. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Fidelis Care, a leading health insurer providing quality, affordable coverage to New Yorkers, and the Centene Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) focused on investing in economically challenged communities, announced today a $1.1 million funding commitment to the Buffalo Urban League to develop a Wellness and Entrepreneurial Center ("the Center") designed to nurture social entrepreneurship, facilitate wellness and strengthen organizations focused on Black, Indigenous and People of Color in Buffalo's East Side.

The Centene Foundation, Fidelis Care, the Buffalo Urban League, and the Community Health Center of Buffalo, a federally qualified health center serving Erie and Niagara counties, are partnering on this project. The Center will provide services and support to a community healing in the aftermath of the  May 2022 mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo through the convening of strategically aligned community-based organizations including, but not limited to, the Community Health Center of Buffalo, Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Health Centers and the Community Action Organization of Western New York. Additionally, the Center will help accelerate opportunities for new social entrepreneurs by providing business services and resources, as well as health-focused programming.

"At Fidelis Care, we are deeply committed to fostering strong partnerships in the communities we serve," said President and CEO, Fidelis Care, Tom Halloran. "We are proud to join the Centene Foundation in support of the Buffalo Urban League, an organization at the forefront of securing economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights. As we seek to provide tangible solutions and promote sustainable economic growth and community resilience in the Buffalo area, we believe the Center will foster positive change and have a significant impact on the lives of children and adults for generations to come."

"I am extremely grateful to Fidelis Care and the Centene Foundation for their generous and impactful donation in support of the Wellness and Entrepreneurial Center," said President and CEO of the Buffalo Urban League, Thomas Beauford, Jr. "This remarkable contribution will ignite positive change within and provide essential resources to our community."

The Buffalo Urban League, in partnership with Centene Foundation and Fidelis Care, will determine whether the funding will be used for new construction or renovation of an existing building.

In addition to the financial contributions, Fidelis Care employees will also volunteer at the Center in support of new initiatives and programming to serve the community.

About the Centene Foundation
The Centene Foundation (the "Foundation"), a private nonprofit focused on investing in economically challenged communities, is the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation ("Centene"). The Foundation supports projects and initiatives strategically aligned with Centene's purpose-driven culture and enhances the work Centene is doing to remove the barriers to wellness underserved and low-income populations face. The Foundation is committed to addressing social determinants of health and improving health equity in three distinct areas of focus: healthcare access, social services, and education. To learn more, visit the Centene Foundation's website.

About Fidelis Care 
Fidelis Care is a mission-driven health plan offering quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life. With more than 2.6 million members statewide, Fidelis Care believes all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, quality health insurance. Follow us on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/fideliscare, on Twitter at @fideliscare, Instagram at @fideliscare, and on Facebook at facebook.com/fideliscare. For more information, call Fidelis Care at 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547) or visit fideliscare.org. 

About the Buffalo Urban League
Since 1927, the Buffalo Urban League has brought positive change and opportunities for a better future to hundreds of thousands of lives in the Buffalo-Niagara region. Our services build strong and stable families by empowering disadvantaged individuals to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power, and civil rights. Our programs serve individuals from birth through senior years by providing family support and stabilization services, foster care, adoption, education, job training, employment, scholarships, health awareness, financial management, business development, technical assistance, and loan and housing counseling to renters and first-time homeowners, as well as to existing homeowners to prevent foreclosures to families and individuals in our community.

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SOURCE Fidelis Care