Lakeland Bank Awards $20,000 Grant to St. Joseph’s Health Foundation

Lakeland Bank is pleased to announce it recently awarded a $20,000 Community Impact Grant to St. Joseph’s Health Foundation. This is the fourth grant issued since 2019 to support the expansion of pediatric dentistry services at the hospital to support underserved children living in Paterson, N.J. and the surrounding area.

“In 2019, Lakeland made a three-year commitment to support the pediatric dentistry residency program at St. Joseph’s, which is the only hospital-based program in the state,” said Timothy Matteson, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Lakeland Bank. “I am proud to serve on the Foundation Board of Directors and was grateful that Lakeland recognized the tremendous impact this program could have for providing access to professional oral care for some of the most vulnerable children and families in the Paterson community.”

Timothy Matteson, EVP, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for the Lakeland Bank serves on the Foundation’s board of directors and was thrilled to continue to support the pediatric dentistry residency program at St. Joseph’s, which is the only hospital-based program in the state. “The impact this program has on the Paterson community is incredible. Providing access to professional oral care for these children and families is crucial, and we are proud to continue contributing to this Foundation.”

“All children should have access to oral health care and a dental home. As an organization that supports a community with limited resources, we are committed to promoting the importance of oral health and expanding access to care,” said Hillel Ephros, DMD, MD, Chairman of Dentistry. “We are so grateful for this generous donation from Lakeland Bank. It will help ensure that our children continue to receive necessary dental and oral health care regardless of their financial situation.”

“This generous donation from Lakeland will provide children with access to oral health care and positively impact so many families,” said Hillel Ephros, DMD, MD, Chairman of Dentistry. “Our commitment to those who have limited resources, is unwavering, and thanks to the support of organizations such as Lakeland, our efforts are compounded by the additional funds.”

In addition to the monetary grant, Lakeland is happy to provide over 500 brand-new toothbrushes to distribute at the hospital as part of routine check-ups offered through the program.

“Every bit counts,” said Matteson, “and we’re happy to continue build on the partnership we started four years ago.”