Manos de Cristo Receives $30,000 Grant from Delta Dental Community Care Foundation to Support Senior Dental Care in Central Texas
[Austin, TX] – [July 2025]
Austin, Texas — Manos de Cristo is proud to announce it has received a $30,000 grant from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation to expand access to affordable dental care for seniors across Central Texas. This critical funding will help underwrite comprehensive dental services for older adults and strengthen Manos’ ongoing Senior Care Fund, which covers up to 90% of the cost of care for qualifying low-income seniors.
The grant directly supports the growing need for affordable oral healthcare among aging populations. Many seniors face significant barriers to maintaining their oral health, including lack of insurance, fixed incomes, and transportation challenges. These obstacles contribute to untreated dental issues that negatively impact overall health and quality of life.
“This grant allows Manos de Cristo to provide high-quality dental care to people who do not have insurance and cannot afford to pay for regularly-priced dental services at a private dental practice,” said Julie Ballesteros, Executive Director of Manos de Cristo. “Dental care should not be a luxury but accessible to everyone in our community. This award ensures that more seniors can access the care they need to live with dignity, health, and confidence.”
In addition to supporting direct care, the grant will fund the purchase of a new digital X-ray sensor, replacing aging equipment and enhancing diagnostic capabilities at the Dental Center. These investments will improve efficiency and strengthen the clinic’s ability to deliver timely, high-quality care to thousands of patients annually.
In 2024, Manos served more than 5,000 unduplicated dental patients, including over 700 individuals aged 60 and older, and performed more than 45,000 procedures. The ongoing Senior Care Fund, made possible through generous community support, remains essential in removing financial barriers and helping seniors maintain their oral health and independence.
The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental, supports nonprofit organizations that increase access to oral healthcare, especially for underserved populations. Their partnership with Manos de Cristo reflects a shared commitment to health equity and to improving lives through compassionate, community-based care.
For over 35 years, Manos de Cristo has served Central Texans through a holistic approach that includes affordable dental care, adult education, and emergency basic needs. This grant marks another important step forward in ensuring that all people—regardless of age or income—can thrive with dignity and wellness.
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About Manos de Cristo
Manos de Cristo, founded in 1988, meets essential needs by providing adults and children with low-cost dental care, educational opportunities, a back-to-school program to prepare elementary students for school with new clothing and school supplies, and emergency food and clothing relief. The Manos de Cristo Dental Center is one of the few not-for-profit dental facilities in Austin. Our life changing services empower people of all backgrounds to build self-esteem, self-confidence and the ability to participate fully in the life of our community. All are welcome. Visit www.manosdecristo.org to learn more.
About Delta Dental Community Care Foundation
The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California and its affiliated companies including Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and Delta Dental of New York, Inc. Since 2011, the Community Care Foundation has awarded more than $170 million in funding and support to increase access to quality dental care, oral health education, and to advance scientific research across the company’s 15-state service area and the District of Columbia. For more information about the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, please visit https://www1.deltadentalins.com/foundation.html