In a colossal collaboration on Saturday, October 20, The Smile Generation, Futuro Academy Public Charter School, Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc., and KaBOOM! transformed an empty site on the Futuro Academy campus into a kid designed, state of the art playground in just six hours. “Our families are so excited for a space that will promote safe play, fun, and a sense of community for our students,” said Ignacio Prado, Executive Director of Futuro Academy. Throughout the day, dozens of volunteers worked tirelessly as live music played. As the build finished, dozens of proud and tired community members and volunteers participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony, which featured a handmade banner crafted by Futuro Academy students. The official unveiling marks the 13th playground built in partnership with The Smile Generation and KaBOOM!.
During the playground construction, volunteers with The Smile Generation, a referral service that connects prospective patients with trusted dentists in their communities, were joined by Smile Generation-trusted dentists to provide patient care. In partnership with the PDS® Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization committed to serving patients by improving oral health care, clinicians utilized the Foundation’s Mobile Dental Clinic to provide patients comprehensive dentistry, including cleanings, x-rays, scaling and root planing, restorations, and extractions totaling $45,000 in donated dentistry for 80 Futuro Academy students and community members in need.
This KaBOOM! playground collaboration, along with dozens of other annual Smile Generation and Pacific Dental Services Foundation initiatives, is part of the culture of service that is fundamental to Pacific Dental Services, a dental support organization (DSO) that provides business and administrative services for dental offices. “We’re passionate about helping people get healthier and happier,” said Kyle Guerin, Director of The Pacific Dental Services Foundation and Corporate Responsibility. “What better way to do that than by building a playground to benefit the children of the local community?” There will certainly be many more healthy smiles at Futuro Academy thanks to this great, safe place for kids to experience healthy play.
About The Smile Generation®
The Smile Generation is a referral service that connects patients with trusted dentists and financial options that helps patients afford the care they want and need. The Smile Generation network is made up of more than 650 dental offices throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, South Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Smile Generation-trusted offices are supported by Pacific Dental Services® For more information, visit us at https://www.smilegeneration.com; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smilegen; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smilegeneration/; Twitter: https://twitter.com/smilegen; YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SmileGenerationTV
About Pacific Dental Services® Foundation
The Pacific Dental Services Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to create opportunities to serve through improving oral healthcare locally, nationally and internationally. By creating opportunities to serve, the PDS® Foundation will positively enhance the lives of those in need and in turn those who serve. The Foundation has key pillars in which we provide access and advocacy to disadvantaged and underserved communities: PDS® Foundation Mobile Dental Clinic; Special Needs Advocacy and Training; and Oral Health Scholarships. For more information, visit www.pdsfoundation.org.
About KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids – especially those living in poverty – the childhood they deserve through great, safe places to play. KaBOOM! inspires communities to make play the easy choice and works to drive the national discussion about the importance of PLAYces. KaBOOM! has collaborated with partners to build or improve more than 17,000 playspaces, engaged more than 1.5 million volunteers and served over 9 million kids. To learn why play matters for all kids, visit kaboom.org and join the conversation at https://twitter.com/kaboom, https://facebook.com/kaboom, and https://instagram.com/kaboom; #playmatters #PLAYceforKids
About Futuro Academy Public Charter School
Futuro Academy Charter School is a public charter school that was founded in the 2017-18 school year to fulfill it’s mission of educating all Kindergarten through Eight Grade scholars to excel through middle school, into high school, and to a university of their choice. Futuro Academy Charter School was founded using a community based, slow-growth model and currently serves 260 Kindergarten through Second Grade students, and will add one grade level annually until full growth at Kindergarten to Eighth Grade. https://futuroacademylv.org/
About Chicanos Por La Causa Nevada, Inc.
CPLC Nevada, Inc. is a Community Development Corporation (CDC) committed to building strong, healthy communities as a lead advocate, coalition builder, and direct service provider. CPLC promotes positive change and self-sufficiency to enhance the quality of life for the benefit of those we serve. CPLC offers the “Promise of Opportunity” through our four pillars of service: 1) Housing; 2) Economic Development; 3) Health and Human Services and 4) Education. Programs within these four pillars include housing counseling, neighborhood stabilization, community revitalization, small business lending, and various social service programs, making Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. the third largest Hispanic non-profit in the country. www.cplcnevada.org; www.cplc.org
