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.