COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado—The Smile for a Lifetime Foundation, an international nonprofit organization that provides orthodontic care and free braces to underserved children with financial challenges and special orthodontic needs, has announced a partnership with the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association to help S4L chapters throughout North America find qualified applicants for their local orthodontic scholarship programs.
Through S4L’s partnership with National CASA, young people who are served by the 946 CASA programs across the country will have the opportunity to learn about S4L and apply for its orthodontic treatment scholarships.
“These scholarships provided by S4L will impact young lives across the country,” said National CASA Association CEO Michael Piraino.
“The stories of disparity and need we hear of the 662,000 abused and neglected children in the child welfare system are unbelievable. This new partnership opens the door to reach many children in need, and we hope that others join us on the journey to support a vulnerable population that so desperately needs it.”
S4L was founded in 2008 by Dr. Benjamin Burris in an effort to link children and teens of low-income families with pro-bono orthodontic scholarships. Since its inception, the foundation has treated more than 1,000 children who could not afford braces and has grown to an international nonprofit organization that serves more than 137 chapters in 42 states and Canada.
Local orthodontists form S4L chapters in the communities they serve and individually treat six or more young people annually. Local CASA staff members are encouraged to nominate members ages 11-18 who would benefit from the S4L program by visiting www.s4l.org.
“Finances should never stop a child from achieving the dream of a straight smile, and S4L is committed to touching the lives of our youth by awarding thousands of orthodontic scholarships to deserving kids,” said S4L National Board President Dr. Ronald Redmond.
“Given our shared goal of fostering self-confidence among our nation’s youth, we believe our partnership with National CASA is the perfect union for providing our nation’s young people with a brighter future.”
S4L scholarships are funded through local orthodontists and primary sponsor Ormco Corporation—a leading manufacturer and provider of advanced orthodontic technology and services. Ormco provides the orthodontist with the braces used for treating each S4L scholarship recipient.
For more information, contact Michelle Von Fange at (719) 535-2777 or via email at [email protected] or visit www.casaforchildren.org.
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