Frank and Carolyn Anello always knew they wanted to make a difference across the world. Driven by their passion for helping others, they began aiding refugees from Burma, including sponsoring a family. Then, in 2012, they embarked on a mission trip to Burma where Carolyn, a dental professional, volunteered her services. This trip ignited a […]
Category: Blog
Improving Health Care Access in Under-Resourced Communities
- Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation
- Blog
AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY TO HEALTH CARE ADVOCACY Jim Garcia had never imagined that his career would lead him to the world of health care policy. As a dedicated staff member for Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Wirth, his primary focus had always been on policy issues related to health care. However, one thing was clear – […]
Connecting Children and Families to Health Care through Mission-Related Investments
- Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation
- Blog
Nonprofits often face limited loan options, and the loans available in the private sector usually come with high-interest rates, making them less effective in a nonprofit context. In 2019, Whitney Gustin Connor took the helm as the Executive Director of Kids First Health Care, armed with her knowledge of capital loans from previous roles. “Kids […]
Commitment, Curiosity, and Collaboration: Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation’s Strategic Plan Update
- D.J. Close
- Blog
As the corporate foundation of Delta Dental of Colorado, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation (DDCOF) is committed to achieving change through grantmaking, impact investing, building coalitions, data and research, policy, and leadership — none of which can be done without strong community partners and a committed team. In 2021, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation launched […]
Advancing Oral Health Equity with Mission-Related Investments
- Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation
- Blog
For years, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation (DDCOF) has been dedicated to achieving oral health equity in Colorado, primarily through capital grants. As the sole oral health-focused funder in the state, DDCOF has expanded its support beyond traditional grantmaking by introducing mission-related investments (MRIs) in collaboration with community partners. Known as the Oral Health Capital […]
Elevating Oral Health Equity: Voices, Representation, and Action Towards a More Inclusive Future
- Mirella Chavez
- Blog
As a person who grew up in disenfranchised communities, I have witnessed firsthand the impact of health inequities on individuals and families. That is why I’m passionate about health care equity and have dedicated my career to working toward reaching it. Recently, I had the privilege of facilitating dialogues with AHEC scholars and then CLLARO […]
Delta Dental Foundations Partner to Advance Oral Health Workforce Diversity
- Arden Trewartha
- Blog
Meet Lolinda Turner, dental workforce diversity & inclusion program manager at Delta Dental of Washington (DDWA). When she was a practicing registered dental assistant, Turner says that she “didn’t see a lot of other dental professionals who looked like me.” Three years ago, in her current role, Lolinda channeled her skills, experience, and passion for […]
Diversity in Dental Hygiene: An Important Part of the Solution to Oral Health Equity
- Lori Casillas
- Blog
Oral health is an integral part of overall well-being, yet many communities continue to face disparities in accessing oral health care and achieving optimal oral health. As part of an overarching strategy to address these disparities, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation (DDCOF) launched a workforce initiative in 2021, with the goal of increasing the number […]
Building Healthy Smiles and Strong Readers: Raising a Reader Aspen to Parachute’s Partnership with Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation
- Mara Holiday
- Blog
Raising a Reader Aspen to Parachute is a nonprofit organization serving the Roaring Fork Valley that provides preschool and kindergarten students with entertaining, educational, and engaging books to read at home, thus building important parent-child bonds. Suzanne Wheeler-Del Piccolo has been the Executive Director at Raising a Reader Aspen to Parachute for over a year. […]
Addressing Social Determinants of Health to Improve Access to Oral Health Care
- Arden Trewartha
- Blog
For many, the words, “increasing access to oral health care,” bring to mind images of free oral health screenings or mobile dental clinics. So, it may be a surprise that Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation (DDCOF) is supporting food justice, wealth building, and promotora work (promotoras are community health workers, residents, and identified leaders within […]