Kansas City University and Bright Futures Carthage each received a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks through the Delta Dental Rural Youth Program. The grants will allow the organizations to provide dental care for students in need in Newton and McDonald counties and in the Carthage area, respectively.
“Through this grant we can provide toothbrushes, toothpaste and fluoride to about 300 children at Benton [Elementary School] and 175 children at Goodman,” said Dr. Latasha Vick, director of community-based education and outreach with Kansas City University. “We are very grateful for this grant to provide that opportunity.”
With its grant, Bright Futures Carthage will establish a fund to provide dental care for Carthage students in need.
A total of $130,000 was granted to 13 agencies during a virtual event on Dec. 18. Delta Dental of Missouri contributed $100,000 for the grant program, which was supplemented by $30,000 from the CFO’s unrestricted grantmaking funds. For a full list of recipients, visit cfozarks.org/delta.
“Every child deserves a healthy and pain-free smile so they can truly thrive,” said Rob Goren, president and chief executive officer at Delta Dental of Missouri. “We are excited to partner with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks to support more than a dozen organizations and help children get vital dental care to improve their overall health, quality of life and self-esteem.”
“We appreciate Delta Dental of Missouri’s generous support for this program,” said Ashley Fleming, grant program officer for the CFO. “The dental care, education and supplies provided by these agencies will help thousands of rural students across our region achieve healthier outcomes.”
About Delta Dental of Missouri: Delta Dental of Missouri is the state’s leading dental benefits provider and a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization. It provides more than 2.1 million members with access to affordable, high-quality dental care through group plans tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, from large corporations to small businesses with two or more employees. Delta Dental also offers dental benefit plans directly to individuals and families. It also provides access to affordable, high-quality vision care through group vision benefit plans. The company proudly supports oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that help educate people about the importance of dental health and provide free dental care to those in need.
About the CFO: Founded in 1973, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks is marking its 50th anniversary in 2023 as the region’s largest public charitable foundation serving a network of donors, 54 regional affiliate foundations — including the Carthage Community Foundation, Joplin Regional Community Foundation and Neosho Area Community Foundation — and nonprofit partners across central and southern Missouri through its mission of resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.
