Delta Dental Community Care Foundation Donates $1.5 Million to Feed Hungry Californians; Grants Provide Much Needed Funding to Food Banks Serving Every County in the State
SAN FRANCISCO - The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation announced on Thursday, June 24 $1.5 million in grants to food banks that touch every county in California. According to Feeding America, California is projected to have the second-highest rate of food insecurity in the country in 2021 with more than 4.7 million households affected.
"As the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California, the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation is committed to addressing the health of the whole person and providing access to healthy foods is absolutely critical to that effort," said Kenzie Ferguson, vice president of Foundation and corporate social responsibility for Delta Dental of California. "As the effects of the pandemic continue to ripple through our communities, we knew we couldn’t take our foot off the gas in terms of providing support to the organizations that help millions of Californians put food on the table and provide a crucial building block to health."
Delta Dental of California understands that oral health and overall health are closely connected, and there are some direct links between oral health and food insecurity. Those who don’t have regular access to enough food are more prone to tooth decay. Moreover, poor oral health can make it difficult or painful to eat, inhibiting proper nutrition.
Because of that connection, and its commitment to supporting our communities, Delta Dental of California, through the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, has a long history of giving to food banks. In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic impacts, the Foundation has increased that support. On GivingTuesday in 2020, the Foundation announced $2.5 million in grants to food banks across 15 states and Washington, D.C., including $725,000 in California, and total giving for the year to fight food insecurity topped $3.5 million. The food banks receiving grants today collectively serve every county in California and include:
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank in Los Angeles - $220,000
San Diego Food Bank in San Diego - $250,000
San Francisco-Marin Food Bank in San Francisco - $200,000
Second Harvest of Silicon Valley in San Jose - $100,000
Alameda County Community Food Bank in Oakland - $100,000
Sacramento Regional Food Bank & Family Services - $100,000
Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano in Fairfield - $75,000
Central California Food Bank in Fresno - $55,000
Project Open Hand in San Francisco - $50,000
Community Action Partnership of Kern in Bakersfield - $30,000
Second Harvest Food Bank San Joaquin & Stanislaus - $25,000
Community Action Agency of Butte County in Oroville - $20,000
Feeding America Riverside & San Bernardino Counties in Riverside - $20,000
Food Bank of Santa Barbara County in Santa Maria - $20,000
Food Bank for Monterey County in Salinas - $20,000
Food for People in Eureka - $30,000
FoodLink for Tulare County in Exeter - $20,000
Imperial Valley Food Bank in Imperial - $20,000
Merced County Food Bank in Merced - $40,000
Placer Food Bank in Roseville - $20,000
Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County in Watsonville - $20,000
Redwood Empire Food Bank in Santa Rosa - $40,000
About the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation
The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation partners with local communities to increase access to care, support dental education and fund research that advances the oral health field. Since 2011, the Foundation has awarded more than $60 million across 15 states and the District of Columbia. The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California and its affiliated companies, including Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and Delta Dental of New York, Inc.
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