The Cigna Foundation and Healthy Smiles Foundation recently joined forces to get a mobile dental clinic van back on the road in Central Valley, California.
The
crowdfunding effort to fix the mobile unit will be matched dollar-for-dollar by
Cigna.
“Healthy Smiles asks your help to raise these funds over the next few months so that we can repair the mobile clinic for the upcoming school year," Healthy Smiles Mobile Dental Foundation Chief Dental Director Dr. Michael Alijani said. "We’re honored to have the Cigna Foundation provide a challenge grant, dollar-for-dollar match of up to $75,000, in support of our fundraising efforts. Together, we can help thousands of students in need receive preventive and restorative dental care.”
Tooth decay is a chronic illness in the Central Valley, where only one in five children receive regular dental care. Tooth decay is a preventable condition that can affect a child's quality of life, including eating, speech and learning. The Healthy Smiles Mobile Dental Foundation has filled the gap for the last 22 years. The loss of a mobile unit would affect Healthy Smiles' ability to deliver dental care to schoolchildren.
“When we heard that the Healthy Smiles mobile clinic was no longer able to serve children in California, we asked how we could help,” Cigna Foundation Executive Director David Figliuzzi said. “This crowdfunding campaign is an example of the organization’s innovative thinking to raise critical funds. We’re excited to partner in helping to meet the $150,000 goal.”
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