A gift from the Walmart Foundation will allow UALR’s Children International program to provide transportation for children to the Future Smiles Dental Clinic.

The $25,000 gift – the first gift UALR has received from the Walmart Foundation – will make possible the purchase of a new van to assist in getting students to scheduled dental appointments at the dental clinic, located at Wakefield Elementary, and to dental appointments at UAMS.

Future Smiles Dental Clinic, coordinated by UALR Children International, is the only school-based dental clinic in Arkansas and one of only a few in the nation. The clinic provides dental care to needy children through annual screenings, restorative, and preventive approaches such as fluoride varnish and sealant.

“School-based clinics are a proven approach to improving the health of children, especially children living in poverty,” said Cheryl Chapman, director of UALR Children International. “We are incredibly grateful for the Walmart Foundation’s support.”

The Future Smiles Clinic at Wakefield Elementary serves students in the Pulaski County area. Schools participating include Wakefield, Bale, Chicot, Franklin, Stephens, and Wakefield Elementary.

The Walmart Foundation, headquartered in Bentonville, awards funds through its State Giving Program that seeks to support organizations with programs that align with their mission to create opportunities so people can live better.  The State Giving Program strives to award grants that have a long-lasting, positive impact with a state or region.

Established in 1994, UALR Children International has worked with parents and partners to provide over 15,500 children in the Little Rock Public Schools with educational enrichment, health care, and family assistance.

It is Children International’s only program located in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Children International is a child sponsorship organization sponsoring more than 330,000 children in 11 countries.