Colgate Partners With Champions For Kids' SIMPLE Giving Program To Help Create Healthy Smiles Among Children

Donations of Colgate® Products at Participating Walmart Stores to be Given to Local Communities This Spring

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Mar 21, 2014, 09:00 ET

NEW YORK, March 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With the start of spring, parents often become concerned about their children's allergies, asthma and other seasonal health issues. While tooth decay isn't usually top of mind, the CDC reports that it's actually five times as common as asthma and seven times as common as hay fever. Students in the United States miss more than 51 million school hours each year due to dental-related illness.^[1]

To help children achieve healthy smiles and avoid missing school days, Colgate has teamed up with Champions for Kids and Walmart for their SIMPLE Giving™ campaign. As part of this partnership, Colgate has committed to donating $100,000 worth of oral care products to school districts across the midwest region during the 2014 school year. Local members of the community can also participate in the SIMPLE Giving™ campaign by purchasing and donating toothbrushes and toothpaste at local, participating Walmart stores from March 22, 2014 through April 7, 2014. All donations go to children in local schools near each participating Walmart store.

Colgate has a long-standing history of community support through its flagship global oral health education program, Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® initiative. To date, this initiative has reached more than half a billion children across 80 countries with free dental screenings and multilingual oral health education.

"Helping to educate children about proper oral hygiene habits has always been at the core of the Colgate Bright, Smiles Bright Futures® program," said Dr. Marsha Butler, Vice President of Global Oral Health and Professional Relations, a dentist who oversees the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® global program. "That being said, we were thrilled to partner with Champions for Kids for their SIMPLE Giving™ campaign, which will enable us to educate communities and help children in need."

"It is essential that we equip children with the necessary healthy habits to help ensure a bright future," said Blake Brandes, Chief Program Officer at Champions for Kids. "We're proud to team up with Colgate and its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™ program to help champion healthy smiles for children in need."

The original Bachelorette and author Trista Sutter is joining Colgate to spread the word about SIMPLE Giving™ and how parents can help their children in local communities. "As a mother, I try my best to be a champion for kids," Sutter says. "Remember when you go to your local Walmart, one small purchase truly makes a difference."

About Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on oral care, personal care, home care and pet nutrition. Colgate-Palmolive sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world, under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, Elmex, Tom's of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. For more information about Colgate-Palmolive's global business, visit the Company's website at www.Colgate.com. To learn more about Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures®, Colgate's global oral health education program, please visit http://www.colgatebsbf.com.

About Champions for Kids
Champions for Kids has served over 1,050,000 children in 50 states since 2004. Through programs like SIMPLE Service and SIMPLE Giving, as well as events like RazorFest and the organization's Annual Conference, Champions for Kids makes it simple to give kids in local communities the resources they need to thrive. Champions for Kids has donated to 1,812 community organizations to support children's' needs and has leveraged 69,000 people for their cause. Additional information about Champions for Kids can be found by visiting www.championsforkids.org.

^[1] US Department of Health and Human Services. Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General-- Executive Summary. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 2000.

SOURCE Colgate-Palmolive