Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivor Oral Health Program Receives The Blue Card's Max L. Heine Humanitarian Award

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners, announced today that the Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivor Oral Health Program has received The Blue Card's Max L. Heine Humanitarian Award. The Blue Card is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides direct financial assistance to needy Holocaust survivors living in the United States.

Stanley M. Bergman, Henry Schein's Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, joined Dr. Avi Wurman, Co-Chair of the Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivor Oral Health Program and Immediate Past International President, Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity, to accept the award at The Blue Card's Annual Benefit Dinner, held November 16 at the New York Public Library.

Vice President Joe Biden issued a special video message congratulating the program for this honor, stating, "Most critically, we issued a call for innovative public-private partnerships to fill in the gaps where survivors have unmet needs, and that's where Henry Schein and Alpha Omega stepped up.  Together you brought the resources of a major company and the skills of more than 200 dentists to provide services in major urban areas across the United States.  This obviously makes a difference. It makes lives better in tangible ways…Thank you, thank you, thank you for allowing us to live up to our moral obligation."

The Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivor Oral Health Program was honored alongside Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, who received The Richard C. Holbrooke Award for Social Justice; Sara Wolfensohn, Executive Director of the Wolfensohn Family Foundation, who received The Irene Hizme Tikkun Olam Award; and Rachel Rosenberg, 2014-2015 AmeriCorps VISTA Community Liaison, who received The Blue Card Young Leadership Award. The event also featured a presentation about the French community of Le Chambon-Sur-Lignon, which rescued Jewish children escaping Nazi persecution.

The Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program was launched last November in response to the White House's call to action to help Holocaust survivors age with dignity and respect. To date, the program has provided free oral care to more than 140 economically vulnerable Holocaust survivors in twelve cities across North America.

"We are humbled that the Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivor Oral Health Program has received this prestigious award, and we thank The Blue Card not just for this recognition, but for all they do to help this remarkable group of people," Mr. Bergman said. "This program could not exist without the passion and energy of all of our partners, and we are honored to have this opportunity to collaborate across sectors to provide the very best care to a population very much in need."

The three-year initiative provides care to people identified by the network of Jewish Family and Children's Service agencies or other identified partner organizations, as well as people of any faith who were victims of Nazi persecution and meet the program's other eligibility requirements. In addition to financial need, patient participation is prioritized by three critical factors: the elimination of pain, restoration of function, and lack of dental coverage.

"We are proud to stand with Henry Schein to accept this award, and hope that this program encourages others to see the incredible value in helping Holocaust survivors age with dignity and respect," Dr. Wurman said. "We thank The Blue Card for this award and our program partner, Henry Schein, for sharing Alpha Omega's commitment to expanding access to care for vulnerable and underserved populations."

This program fills a critical need for many of the 120,000 Holocaust survivors living in the U.S., one quarter of whom live in poverty. Survivors often have special oral health needs, as many suffered from prolonged nutritional deprivation and had little to no dental care access as children during World War II. Originally launched in nine cities—New York City, the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Seattle, Montreal, and Toronto—the program has since expanded to Atlanta, Columbus, and Calgary.

The program has received generous financial support from The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation and the Curt C. & Else Silberman Foundation. Additional support has been provided by the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Bedford Healthcare Solutions, The Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, Inc., and the Wagner Family Foundation. In addition, Town & Country Dental Studios serves as the program's laboratory partner, donating dental laboratory services for designated cases.  

Please watch this video for more information about the Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program.

About The Blue Card
The Blue Card was established in 1934 in Germany to help those fleeing Nazi persecution. It was reestablished in the United States in 1939 and today remains the only organization whose sole mission is to help needy Holocaust survivors, by way of medical, dental, stipendiary, emergency response system and many other programs.

The Blue Card has earned nine consecutive four-star ratings from Charity Navigator, a distinction awarded to only four percent of all charities. The Blue Card is Better Business Bureau (BBB) certified, and was named as one of the best Jewish charities in 2012 and 2013 by Federal Times.

About Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity
The Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity (AO) is the oldest international Jewish dental and medical organization. Founded in 1907 at the University of Maryland School of Dental Medicine, AO has expanded into an international community of dental professionals who are guided by the tenets of professionalism, fraternalism, and commitment to Judaic values. With over 100 alumni and student chapters in 10 countries, AO members embrace the spirit of Tikkun Olam, or healing the world through charitable endeavors. As healers, our members strive to make their communities better.  For more information, please contact Heidi Weber, AO Executive Director, at [email protected].

About Henry Schein Cares
Henry Schein Cares stands on four pillars: engaging Team Schein Members to reach their potential, ensuring accountability by extending ethical business practices to all levels within Henry Schein, promoting environmental sustainability, and expanding access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around the world. Health care activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on three main areas: advancing wellness, building capacity in the delivery of health care services, and assisting in emergency preparedness and relief.

Firmly rooted in a deep commitment to social responsibility and the concept of enlightened self-interest championed by Benjamin Franklin, the philosophy behind Henry Schein Cares is a vision of "doing well by doing good." Through the work of Henry Schein Cares to enhance access to care for those in need, the Company believes that it is furthering its long-term success. "Helping Health Happen Blog" is a platform for health care professionals to share their volunteer experiences delivering assistance to those in need globally. To read more about how Henry Schein Cares is making a difference, please visit our blog: www.helpinghealthhappen.org.

About Henry Schein, Inc.
Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ:HSIC) is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners. The Company also serves dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, and other alternate care sites. A Fortune 500® Company and a member of the S&P 500® and the NASDAQ 100® indexes, Henry Schein employs more than 18,000 Team Schein Members and serves more than one million customers.

The Company offers a comprehensive selection of products and services, including value-added solutions for operating efficient practices and delivering high-quality care. Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 100,000 branded products and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 150,000 additional products available as special-order items. The Company also offers its customers exclusive, innovative technology solutions, including practice management software and e-commerce solutions, as well as a broad range of financial services.

Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 33 countries. The Company's sales reached a record $10.4 billion in 2014, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 16 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995. For more information, visit Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com, Facebook.com/HenrySchein and @HenrySchein on Twitter.

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SOURCE Henry Schein, Inc.

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