Donation part of 1 Million Brushes Program that aims to provide 1 million toothbrush kits over the next 10 years
FARGO N.D. – The North Dakota Dental Foundation has made a donation of 16,702 toothbrush kits to the Great Plains Food Bank that will be distributed to kids in need through the hunger-relief organization’s backpack program. The donation is part of the North Dakota Dental Foundation’s 1 Million Brushes Program that aims to provide 1 million toothbrush kits to organizations like the Great Plains Food Bank over the next 10 years through the generosity of donors.
“The North Dakota Dental Foundation sees a future where all oral health needs are met. Currently an unmet need is access to something as simple as a toothbrush. We are grateful for the Great Plains Food Bank and their BackPack Program,” Mike Little, North Dakota Dental Foundation executive director said. “This program allows us to get toothbrush kits in the hands of North Dakota kids who need them the most.”
The 1 Million Brushes Program is a program with the goal to ensure North Dakota children in need have the oral health supplies they need. The program was started by the North Dakota Dental Foundation in 2017 and has now provided over 70,000 toothbrush kits. The kits include a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and a brush chart.
Little said studies have shown that 67 percent of North Dakota kindergarteners suffer from tooth decay and that is something that is entirely preventable.
The toothbrush kits are currently being distributed as part of the Great Plains Food Bank BackPack Program, which helps children in need throughout the region. Children are given a backpack full of food on Friday afternoons to supplement their nutritional needs over the weekend before returning to school on Monday. The Great Plains Food Bank provides more than 129,000 backpacks to students in a single year.
About the Great Plains Food Bank
Now in its 38th year, the Great Plains Food Bank serves as North Dakota’s only food bank. Its partner network includes nearly 200 food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, and other charitable feeding programs operating more than 100 communities across N.D. and Clay County, Minn. Since 1983, the Great Plains Food Bank, through its array of innovative direct service programs and partner network, have distributed more than 175 million meals to children, seniors, and families in need. The Great Plains Food Bank is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, and was named the Not-for-Profit of the Year in 2018 by the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Chamber of Commerce.
FOLLOW THE GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK
Website: www.greatplainsfoodbank.org
Twitter: @NDFoodBank
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FOLLOW THE NORTH DAKOTA DENTAL FOUNDATION
Website: nddental.org
Facebook: facebook.com/nddentalfoundation
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