Argus Leader: Mouth To Stomach - A Hunger Pledge

Story by: Steve Young

May 25, 2010

Needy families in central South Dakota are getting a boost from an organization that specializes in teeth but also is worried about their stomachs.

Delta Dental of South Dakota has pledged $300,000 of the $650,000 needed for Feeding South Dakota to establish a food bank site in Pierre.

The new Pierre branch, which had its grand opening earlier this month, means food pantries and other agencies in the central corridor of South Dakota won't have to travel to Rapid City and Sioux Falls for supplies.

Matt Gassen, executive director of Feeding South Dakota, said it's the single largest donation his agency has ever received.

"To be able to partner with a company like Delta Dental, who sees the work we do as being valuable enough to invest in us, is truly humbling," Gassen said Monday. "Their mission obviously centers on proper dental health, yet they also see the role that good nutrition plays."

Scott Jones, president of Delta Dental of South Dakota, said when his organization took over the state's Medicaid program for dental in 1996, "all of a sudden, we became aware of the tremendous amount of need in addressing the dental work force, in access to dental care, and in public education."

In taking two 40-foot dental vehicles on the road to provide care to children who need dental work but can't access it, Delta Dental "found out that a lot of those kids are hungry and have other issues as well," Jones said. "It heightened our awareness of the need for things like the feeding program."

The Delta Dental Philanthropic Fund sent a check for $150,000 on March 5 to Feeding South Dakota and will provide the other $150,000 when $300,000 is raised from other sources.

Jones said he thinks that will happen this year. Gassen said his agency has just less than $150,000 left to raise before it can collect the final Dakota Dental payment.

The money has allowed Feeding South Dakota to acquire a former Pepsi building in Pierre to house its food bank there. Gassen said his agency has a lease-to-own agreement on the building and has until February 2012 to finish its fundraising.

Reach reporter Steve Young at 331-2306.

To see the story in its original form at the Argus Leader online, click here.