Sun Life U.S. awards $350,000 in grants to community health organizations across the country

WELLESLEY, Mass., Aug. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life U.S. has selected the six recipients of the 2024 Health Access Grants, awarded to organizations addressing health and wellness issues in communities that often lack access to care. Launched as the Team Up Against Diabetes Grant program in 2016, the Health Access grant program has expanded from diabetes to include oral health care and other related health issues that are especially prevalent in underserved communities.

"Access to care continues to be a significant challenge for many in our country, and we are happy to support these local organizations that are making a difference in their communities," said Dan Fishbein, M.D., president, Sun Life U.S. "We hope that supported by our grants, these groups can continue to launch and run programs that bring impactful health services to the people who need them most."

The Health Access Grant program enables Sun Life to engage directly with nonprofit organizations that offer a variety of health services, from community farmer's markets providing nutritious food, to clinics offering medical diabetes intervention or oral health services. Since the inception of the grant program, Sun Life has given more than $2 million to organizations around the country, helping to provide access to health programs for thousands of individuals and families.

The 2024 winners of the Sun Life Health Access grants are:

Dental Connections| Smile Squad Mobile Dentistry Program

Des Moines, Iowa 

The Health Access grant will help Dental Connections continue to expand its mobile program that brings oral health care on-site at more than 80 schools and community organizations throughout the year. Dental Connections aims to expand the reach of the Smile Squad program to designated dental health professional shortage areas (HPSAs), or "dental deserts," which are underserved areas that lack easy access to dental providers and services.

LevelUp Kids Inc| Free Dental Care for Homeless Teens

Kansas City, Mo.

With the Health Access grant, LevelUp Kids will provide dental care at the Synergy Youth Resiliency Center in the Northland area of Kansas City. Services include plaque removal and teeth polishing to prevent gum disease, as well as fillings and extractions. Patients also receive follow up calls to discuss progress and future oral health needs.

Limbs for Life Foundation (LFL)| Support for limb loss associated with diabetes

Oklahoma City

The Health Access grant will fund loss-of-limb care for 16 new diabetic patients, as well as educational materials related to prosthetic limbs, wound care, and nutrition and healthy living. Limbs for Life aims to help people return to the workforce, school and other daily activities.

Tulsa Cornerstone Assistance Network| Food as Medicine for Black & Native American Youth

Tulsa, Okla.

The Health Access grant will support Tulsa Cornerstone's Food as Medicine program, which aims to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes in Black and Native communities. The program is led by YouthWorks, an afterschool initiative that empowers primarily Black and Native children to overcome childhood obesity through gardening, nutrition and healthy cooking education, and fitness.

Volunteers in Medicine Clinic of the Cascades (VIMCC)| Health Within Reach

Bend, Oreg.

The Health Within Reach program provides dental care and diabetes support for low-income families in Central Oregon. The Health Access grant will help launch an innovative program that combines diabetes education with access to oral health care. Participants receive educational materials, grocery store gift cards and an established dental home with VIMCC.

West Virginia Health Right| Expanding access to oral health care in Southern West Virginia

Charleston, W. Va.

A 2017 recipient of the Sun Life Team Up Against Diabetes grant, West Virginia Health Right will use its Health Access grant to support continued growth of on-site and mobile dental clinics in Southern West Virginia. They have provided care to more than 13,000 low-income patients since 2017 and aim to reach 6,000 per year across the region.

Sun Life is committed to broadening access to health care and services through its community outreach and philanthropy. In addition to the annual grant program, DentaQuest, part of Sun Life U.S., recently announced its Health Access Hero awards recognizing those on the frontlines working to increase access to care and optimize health outcomes for communities most in need.

Sun Life partners with the Boston Celtics, Maine Celtics, and Kansas City Royals, to bring fitness programs to local youth organizations, and raise funds for diabetes and health initiatives. Sun Life is also a national sponsor of the American Diabetes Association's Power Up program.

Visit www.sunlife.com/us/en/about/our-community-involvement/health-access-grant-program/  for more information about the Sun Life Health Access Grant program.

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of June 30, 2024, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.46 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping approximately 50 million Americans access the healthcare and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. Sun Life employs more than 8,500 people in the U.S., including associates in our partner dental practices and affiliated companies in asset management. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information visit our website and newsroom.

Media contacts

Devon Fernald

Sun Life U.S.

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SOURCE Sun Life U.S.