The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation has given grants to 15 organizations, totaling more than $365,000, in Georgia to provide relief amid the COVID-19 pandemic. These unrestricted grants were intended to help the Foundation's nonprofit partners continue to provide vital services to the most vulnerable members of their communities.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has been a one-two punch for many of our Georgia-based nonprofit partners by increasing the needs for their services while reducing their fundraising capability and ability to rely on volunteers," said Kenzie Ferguson, vice president of Foundation and corporate social responsibility for Delta Dental of California. "We made the decision to allocate nearly all of our 2020 funding to support those fighting on the front lines of COVID-19 and will continue to be a resource to our communities as this pandemic continues."

Organizations that received funding included health centers, food banks and other community organizations providing services to elderly and home-bound individuals, including:

• Albany Area Primary Health Care in Albany

• Atlanta Mission in Atlanta

• Christ Community Health Services Augusta in Augusta

• Curtis V Cooper Primary Health Care in Savannah

• East Georgia Healthcare Center in Swainsboro

• Fayette Care Clinic in Fayetteville

• Georgia Mountains Health Services in Morganton

• Good Samaritan Health Center in Atlanta

• His Mercy and Grace in Alpharetta

• Macon Volunteer Clinic in Macon

• Mercy Health Center in Athens

• Meridian Education Resource Group in Atlanta

• Savannah Volunteer Dental Clinic in Savannah

• The Henry W Grady Health System Foundation in Atlanta

• Thrive SS in Atlanta

The grants in Georgia are only a fraction of the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation response. In total, the Foundation has given roughly $11 million to more than 250 organizations across 15 states and Washington, D.C. and plans to make an additional several million in funding available in the coming months to respond to emerging needs as the pandemic continues.

Delta Dental of California and its affiliates also partnered with Lendeavor on a $300 million loan program for its independent dental providers and offered premium relief to customers. In addition, Delta Dental provided emergency time off and other resources to employees affected by illness or closures resulting from the pandemic. All told, Delta Dental of California and its affiliates financial support to stakeholders affected by COVID-19 exceeds $700 million.