Kemple Children’s Dental Clinic receives grants
Kemple Memorial Children’s Dental Clinic announced that it is the recipient of ten substantial grant awards and major donations, all of which will allow the nonprofit to further its work in the community.
Based in Bend, Kemple Clinic is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children in Central Oregon by facilitating critical preventative, educational and dental treatment services for children whose families cannot access basic dental care.
Kemple Clinic focuses on early intervention and prevention services that are unique to the Central Oregon community, providing on-site clinic hygiene services as well as off-site screening and sealant programs at various community venues (e.g., schools, clinics, churches, Boys & Girls Clubs, etc.).
Kemple Clinic has received $111,500 for the fiscal year in recent grants/donations and will be able to continue to provide and expand services to more of these children thanks to the support of the following entities:
The Ford Family Foundation (www.tfff.org) provided a three-year, $150,000 grant to support the Children’s Oral Health Services. The Ford Family Foundation was established in 1957 by Kenneth W. and Hallie E. Ford. Its mission is “successful citizens and vital rural communities” in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. The Foundation is located in Roseburg, Oregon, with a Scholarship office in Eugene.
Oregon Community Foundation (www.oregoncf.org) provided a $25,000 grant with a $20,000 second year option to expand the children’s dental program to serve 5000+ at-risk children in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties. OCF creates charitable funds that support the community causes they care about. Through these funds, OCF annually awards more than $60 million in grants and scholarships.
National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (dba ToothFairy Campaign) (www.ncohf.org) provided a $10,000 grant to expand and enhance Kemple Clinic’s ability to provide vital oral health services to underserved families in our community. National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: America’s ToothFairy (NCOHF) is dedicated to eliminating children’s preventable suffering from pediatric dental disease by providing programs and comprehensive resources to deliver community-based critical preventive, educational and treatment services.
Trust Management Foundation provided a $7,500 grant to continue Kemple Clinic’s oral health education program and screening efforts, including initial implementation of a youth mentoring program.
The Roundhouse Foundation donated $10,000 to support the screening and dental sealant program in the Sisters School District for the 2014-2015 school year. The Roundhouse Foundation’s goal is to encourage community enrichment and economic development through the arts in Central Oregon.
Additional major donations have been made to Kemple Clinic by:
Les Schwab Tire Center of Oregon ($2,000)
Quota International of Central Oregon ($1,000)
On Point Community Credit Union ($500)
Three Sisters Lions Club ($500)
Rotary Club of Greater Bend/Great Duck Race 2014 ($TBD)
Except as noted above, these grants and donations will be used to support Kemple Clinic’s mission to provide critical oral health preventative, educational and dental treatment services for children whose families cannot access basic dental care.
Funds will also support the continuation and expansion of Kemple Clinic’s School-Based Screen and Seal program – a comprehensive mobile service conducted at school and other community facilities. The program provides parents with a basic dental assessment, educational materials, and, with consent, free fluoride and sealant applications to all children in attendance. The Screen and Seal program is also offered at other community venues convenient to families. During the 2013-14 school year, Kemple launched this program across Central Oregon and screened over 5000 children in the region.
Suzanne Browning, Kemple Clinic’s Executive Director, states, “We are so pleased to have received recent support from these outstanding organizations. Their generosity not only provides critical financing to fuel our work, it validates the importance of our mission.” With the new funding, many children will experience improved dental health that positively impacts their general health, educational progress and self-esteem.
About Kemple Memorial Children’s Dental Clinic
Kemple Clinic was founded in 1998 by retired dentist and long-time Bend resident, Dr. H.M. Kemple. Dr. Kemple’s goal as founder was to eliminate pediatric oral disease. To this day, Kemple Clinic strives to support that mission by providing free, high quality, on-site dental treatments to at-risk youth and offsite dental screenings and preventative education needed to promote the oral health and overall well-being of all children in our community. Kemple offers on-site hygiene appointments (cleanings, x-rays, risk assessments) at the clinic facility for underserved children in Central Oregon. If, upon assessment, acute dental treatments are necessary, Kemple Clinic works with more than 70 volunteer dentists in Central Oregon to deliver these urgent and critical dental treatment services to underserved children in Central Oregon.
