Illinois Schools Invited to Apply for New Water Bottle-Filling Station Grant
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Apr. 2, 2024) – Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation and Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation are accepting 2024 applications for the annual H2O On the Go grant program. The program replaces existing water fountains with new water bottle-filling stations at elementary, middle, and high schools throughout Illinois.
All Illinois elementary, middle, and high schools can apply for the H2O On the Go grant at deltadentalil.com/h2o-on-the-go. Schools without water-bottle filling stations will receive priority. The application deadline is April 30, 2024 at 5 p.m. (CT).
Enhancing health and sustainability with new water bottle-filling stations
Tooth decay, although mostly preventable, is the leading chronic disease among children. Choosing water instead of sugary beverages like soda, juice, and sports drinks can help reduce cavities by nearly 25%.1 Plus, water can help keep teeth strong, boost energy levels, and increase students’ focus. In addition to helping students drink more water, H2O On the Go reduces waste and promotes conservation efforts. The water bottle-filling stations are also touch-free, reducing germ exposure.
The H2O On the Go grant program was launched in 2020 as part of Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation and Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation’s shared initiatives to improve the overall health and well-being of Illinois children. In the first four years of the H2O On the Go program, 277 Illinois schools have received a water bottle-filling station.
To review past recipients or to apply for the H2O On the Go program, visit deltadentalil.com/h2o-on-the-go.
About the Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation
The Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation was formed in March 2008 by Delta Dental of Illinois, a not-for-profit dental service corporation with a mission to improve the oral health of the communities it serves. Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation is the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of Delta Dental of Illinois and works to support and improve the oral health of people in Illinois. In the past decade, combined efforts of Delta Dental of Illinois and Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation have provided more than $30 million to programs and organizations in Illinois that improve the oral health of the residents of Illinois. For additional information, visit deltadentalil.com/ddilfoundation.
About Illinois Children’s Healthcare Fund
The Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation (ILCHF) has a single vision: Every child in Illinois grows up healthy. Working through grantee partners across the state, the Foundation focuses its grant-making on identifying and funding solutions to the barriers that prevent children from accessing the ongoing health care they need. For more information, go to ilchf.org.
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Oral Health (January 15, 2020).