WellCare of Kentucky supports relief efforts for communities hit by tornadoes

$225,000 in funds will be distributed to support immediate and long-term needs of communities in Eastern Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky., June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare of Kentucky, a Centene Corporation company, announced today its support for relief efforts to help meet immediate and long-term needs of communities affected by tornados in Eastern Kentucky. WellCare, with additional funding support from the Centene Foundation, will provide assistance focused on housing support, rebuilding projects, dispersing financial assistance, and distributing essential goods to help survivors recover post-disaster.

The total donation will be distributed to local organizations focused on direct, ongoing relief to those affected by the devastating tornados in May 2025. $50,000 of the donation, contributed by the Centene Foundation, has been allocated to the Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund, a program established by Governor Andy Beshear, to assist those impacted by severe weather systems.

WellCare will invest the remaining funds in four Laurel County-based organizations providing continued support to tornado survivors in their region: 

• Come-Unity Cooperative Care
• Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) – Disaster Relief
• Roscoe's Daughter, Inc
• Upper Cumberland Community Foundation

"Severe storms and tornados have had a devastating impact on Kentucky communities, and recovery from extreme weather events like this one takes all of us," said WellCare Plan President and CEO Corey Ewing. "Since 2022, WellCare has provided more than $1.2 million in donations to community partners and providers to address community needs following multiple natural disasters. Both WellCare and the Centene Foundation are committed to ongoing efforts to help our friends and neighbors rebuild their lives." 

To date, WellCare has supported this crisis by providing essential needs like food, shelter, and medical care and will continue to monitor overall recovery efforts. Within the first week of the recent severe storms, WellCare supported affected communities by: 

• Communicating to thousands of affected members via text, automated phone messages, and social media channels to connect them with emergency community support and advise that emergency prescriptions lost in the storm would be replaced.
• Reaching out with personal phone calls to high-risk members.
• Providing both a 24-hour Crisis and a Nurse Advice Hotline.
• Providing access to 24-hour behavioral and mental health services.
• Delivering thousands of personal care and hygiene items to people in temporary shelters.
• Volunteering to serve hot meals to local residents and first responders.

Donated funds are being used to secure emergency shelter and access to hot meals as well as critical medical treatment. Additional needs will be met by purchasing generators, beds, transportation, and food. Funding will also be used restore, refurnish, and even rebuild homes for thousands of affected residents.              

About WellCare of Kentucky  

WellCare of Kentucky provides government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors, and individuals with complex needs primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans across the state. WellCare of Kentucky is a Centene Corporation company. For more information, visit wellcareky.com 

About the Centene Foundation

The Centene Foundation, a private nonprofit focused on investing in economically challenged communities, is the philanthropic arm of Centene ("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 drivers of health and improving health in three distinct areas of focus: healthcare access, social services and education. To learn more, visit the Centene Foundation's website.        

SOURCE WellCare of Kentucky