COLGATE LAUNCHES THE COLGATE SMILE FUND TO BUILD RESILIENCE IN TODAY'S YOUTH AS NEW SURVEY FINDS 4 IN 5 PARENTS SENSE THEIR CHILD IS QUESTIONING THEIR POTENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE

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Jul 26, 2022, 08:01 ET

Actress and Mother Cobie Smulders Teams Up with Colgate to Raise Awareness of Needed Optimism & Announce Colgate Smile Fund Donation to City Year

NEW YORK, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past two years, families have experienced events that have upended their lives and expectations of the future. In fact, according to a new Colgate study*, nearly 7 in 10 parents of school-aged children (69%) say it is more difficult for their kids to be positive about the world today than it was just a couple of years ago. But there is a bright side. Kids are in a critical developmental phase in their lives where they can still shape their long-term outlook and ability to overcome challenges. And with the right support, today's youth can get back on track to become more resilient, optimistic people.

Colgate believes that everyone deserves a future worth smiling about and is committed to advancing its mission through the launch of the Colgate Smile Fund initiative. This effort will support healthy and bright futures for children, their families, and communities by investing in non-profit organizations that help to equip today's young people with the skills needed to thrive in and out of school. In its first year, the Colgate Smile Fund will award a donation to City Year, a non-profit organization that works in systemically under-resourced schools across the U.S. to help students succeed.

"I'm enormously proud of our new Colgate Smile Fund initiative and the support of City Year. Teaming up with City Year provides a special opportunity to help kids across the country with the needed resilience and optimism training that can help set them up for long-term success," said Bill Van de Graaf, Vice President of Marketing North America, Colgate-Palmolive. "Together, we can make a difference and better support their hope for the future."

Through City Year's 'Whole School, Whole Child' approach, the organization helps students and schools succeed by training City Year AmeriCorps members to help K-12 students strengthen their academic, social and emotional skills. Colgate's Smile Fund donation will assist in the development of social-emotional training resources and capacity building for City Year AmeriCorps members; young adults who serve full time in schools. The training will support AmeriCorps members in their role as student success coaches, helping children build critical life skills like self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship-building and decision-making. The work will ultimately impact almost a quarter-million children in systemically under-resourced schools in the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.

"As a mother, I've seen the social and emotional effects the pandemic has caused these last few years. Shifting this mindset among young people and working with them to build resilience, self-confidence, and empathy can help them become more resilient and optimistic into adulthood," said Cobie Smulders, actress and Colgate Ambassador. "I know that change begins with the adults and role models in kids' lives. That's why I'm excited to partner with Colgate to build awareness of this initiative and help parents and caregivers as they ensure the kids in their lives thrive."

Join us as we use the power of a smile to encourage optimism everywhere. To learn more about the Colgate Smile Fund initiative and Colgate's commitment to championing optimism in action, visit Colgate.com/optimism and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

*The survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. parents of elementary, middle, and high school students, between June 10 and June 16, 2022.

About Colgate-Palmolive

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets, and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, and Pet Nutrition, the Company sells its products in more than 200 countries and territories under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom's of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, PCA Skin, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. The Company is recognized for its leadership and innovation in promoting sustainability and community wellbeing, including its achievements in decreasing plastic waste, saving water, reducing waste, promoting recyclability, conserving natural resources, and improving children's oral health through its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program, which has reached more than 1.4 billion children since 1991. For more information about Colgate's global business and how the Company is building a future to smile about, visit www.colgatepalmolive.com.

About City Year

City Year helps students and schools succeed, while preparing the next generation of civically engaged leaders who can work across lines of difference. In partnership with teachers and schools, City Year AmeriCorps members cultivate learning environments where all students can build on their strengths, fully engage in their learning and experience success—helping create a more just and equitable future for all of us. A proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, City Year is supported by AmeriCorps, local school districts and private philanthropy. City Year partners with public schools in 29 communities across the U.S. and through international affiliates in the U.K. and South Africa. Learn more at cityyear.org or on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Colgate-Palmolive Company