JOHNSTON, IOWA (February 1, 2022) — Iowa schools have the opportunity to receive a new water-bottle filling-station through the Rethink Your Drink program, funded by the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation. Selected schools will have an old drinking fountain replaced with a new Elkay water-bottle filling-station.
Priority will be given to schools that have one or fewer water-bottle filling-stations in their building and schools that have a free and reduced-price lunch status of 50% or greater. Applications for this program opened on January 10 and will close on March 1. To apply, visit deltadentalia.com/foundation/grants.
"Rethink Your Drink helps to improve the oral and overall health of Iowans by investing in schools and improving communities," said Suzanne Heckenlaible, executive director of the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation. "Whether we're in the classroom or being active in our community, staying hydrated is key to supporting our health."
"Water is an important contributor to good oral and overall health. However, ensuring students are hydrated can be a challenge. More than fifty percent of children and teens in the US are not properly hydrated during the school day, which can impact learning and energy levels," said Melissa Walker, Iowa School Nurse Consultant. "Water-bottle filling-stations allow students to keep a filled reusable water-bottle within reach throughout the day. In addition, the automatic filling function of the water-bottle filling-stations reduces the potential transmission of viruses and bacteria."
Since 2017, the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation has donated more than $1.7 Million to 375 schools throughout Iowa for the Rethink Your Drink program impacting more than 184,000 students and staff.
The Rethink Your Drink program, is funded by Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation and supported by the Iowa Department of Public Health Bureau of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Iowa Public Health Association, Iowa Department of Education, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, and Central Sales Inc.
About Delta Dental of Iowa
Delta Dental of Iowa, a not-for-profit health and wellness company, provides dental and vision benefits to more than 1.5 million Iowans. Locally-focused and nationally-networked, Delta Dental of Iowa invests in oral health and wellness projects through the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation and community giving that focus on access to care, prevention, education, and research. Since 2002, Delta Dental has invested more than $49 million to improve the oral health and overall health of Iowans.
Delta Dental of Iowa is a member of the Delta Dental Plans Association, the leading national network of independent dental-service corporations. The Delta Dental member companies provide dental benefits to more than eighty million Americans in more than 141,000 employee groups throughout the country. For more information, visit the website at www.deltadentalia.com.
