The Sugar Association (SAI) recently assisted the Baltimore (Md.) Health Department's Maternal and Infant Nursing Program in its efforts to promote children's dental health to hundreds of the city's low-income families.
Cortina Perry, the Unit's CHN (Community Health Nurse) Supervisor, accepted the Association's donation of 500 multi-colored children's toothbrushes, which are inscribed, "Brush after meals! Compliments of: The Sugar Association." SAI's Bryan Jernigan and Amy Gergely visited the Baltimore Health Department to present the donation on behalf of the Association.
"We are extremely appreciative of the Sugar Association's interest in supporting our dental health initiative for mothers and their babies," said Perry. "This donation will see us through the next year and will help us meet our goals of teaching good dental health habits and preventing cavities."
The toothbrushes will be distributed by the city's community nursing corps through all of the Department's programs, which follow more than 1,000 mostly low-income Baltimore children from birth to age 2. The nurses make regular visits to the homes of expectant and current mothers to advise them on infant and child health issues, including dental care.
"Sugar has been an important part of this community for some time," said Richard O. Keelor, SAI's president and CEO, referring to the long-standing presence of Domino Sugar in the City of Baltimore, "and this partnership seemed like a good fit. Supporting the city's efforts not only allows us the opportunity to promote the importance of children's dental health in a meaningful way, but fits well with our mission to encourage individual responsibility for personal health and well-being."
The Sugar Association is a trade organization representing the nation's sugar cane growers and refiners and sugar beet growers and processors whose primary mission is to inform and educate the consuming public about the role of sugar (sucrose) in nutrition and health.
