gifts in action:

Virtual Smile Drives Save Smiles During Pandemic

The coronavirus shutdowns forced our Smile Drive volunteers to cancel their collection events as most sites had to close. But thanks to those who collected monetary donations online through our Virtual Smile Drive campaign, and a matching donation from SmileMakers, 50,000 kids in need received dental hygiene supplies to help keep them healthy—even in the middle of a global pandemic!

Ozarks Food Harvest, located in Springfield, Missouri, received 480 toothbrushes to distribute through their Weekend Backpack Program. This service provides food insecure children with a bag of nutritious food to take home over the weekends, when they might otherwise go hungry. Thanks to our Virtual Smile Drive donors, these kids now also have a toothbrush to help them prevent the pain and embarrassment of tooth decay!

For more information about joining our 2021 Smile Drive campaign or to donate to our toothbrush fund, visit our Smile Drive Page.

Need ideas for who you can donate your Smile Drive collection to? Read about other organizations that received donations during the pandemic.

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