Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota receives $10,000 grant from Delta Dental of Minnesota to provide Healthy Smiles Healthy Kids program in St. Cloud Area
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota recently received a $10,000 grant from Delta Dental of Minnesota to provide the Healthy Smiles Healthy Kids program at the Roosevelt, Southside and Eastside Clubs from March 1, 2021 – February 28, 2022.
With this funding, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota will provide a comprehensive nutrition program called Project Healthy Smiles Healthy Kids, designed to bring excellent dental hygiene and life habits to our community’s youth. The program has five primary components:
- Cavity Free Zone – to teach kids the importance of healthy dental hygiene habits
- Daily Meal Program – to teach kids the importance of proper nutrition and its connection to healthy dental hygiene
- Health & Life Skills programs – to prevent the use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs and poor dietary choices, which also affect oral health
- Parental communication – to encourage parents to reinforce healthy habits at home
- Incentives – to recognize kids for their participation and application of learned healthy habits
“Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota is proud to highlight our partnership with Delta Dental of Minnesota to keep our youth’s smiles healthy,” said Aimee Minnerath, Boys & Girls Club’s Senior Director of Communication. “Tooth decay is the No. 1 chronic childhood illness in America, and we are doing our best to combat this issue by teaching kids how to take care of their teeth, lead healthy lifestyles and provide resources for dental care. We appreciate Delta Dental of Minnesota’s support of this important initiative.”
“A healthy smile is a good indicator of overall health, and that’s why it’s so important to build solid oral health habits with kids,” said Joe Lally, Executive Director of the Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation. “The Foundation is happy to provide our fifteenth year of support to Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota and recognize its commitment to teaching kids important oral health lessons.”
This grant is part of approximately $475,000 in grants made annually by Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation to a range of organizations around the state – all of which promote improved oral health and related overall health.
Delta Dental of Minnesota’s philanthropic giving focuses on choosing grant recipients that show innovative strategies to expand oral health access for Minnesota’s underserved populations; demonstrate significant opportunity to promote and expand preventive and education services; and show an ability to measure results.
About Delta Dental of Minnesota:
Delta Dental of Minnesota is an independent, nonprofit health services company that serves the oral health needs of Minnesota and North Dakota residents. Since 1969, Delta Dental of Minnesota has accomplished this mission by providing the best access across the state to oral health care through affordable dental plans. Delta Dental of Minnesota is an authorized licensee of the Delta Dental Plans Association of Oak Brook, Illinois. To learn more, visit deltadentalmn.org.
In 2009, Delta Dental of Minnesota’s parent sold a company and used 100 percent of the proceeds to establish and fund Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation. Since then, the foundation has worked to expand access to dental care for Minnesota’s underserved populations by primarily investing in programs and organizations that provide dental care to people in need. Since 2011, Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation has invested more than $24 million in grants to nearly 83 programs and organizations that promote oral health. It is the largest endowed foundation in Minnesota with a mission to support oral health.