SAVANNAH — Howard Family Dental Foundation, the charitable foundation of a dental office group based in coastal Georgia and South Carolina, donated $30,000 last month to St. Joseph’s/Candler Foundations.

The money will be used to provide support, education and guidance to children and teens with a family member facing a life-threatening disease through the Howard Hand in Hand Support Program.

Howard Family Dental Foundation representatives Dr. John C. Howard Jr., Dr. Lindsay Sammons and Dr. Julie Howard presented the check during a team learning and development day. Dr. Howard Zaren, Jennifer Fournier and Vernice Rackett of St. Joseph’s/Candler were on hand for the check presentation and have been instrumental in the implementation of the program.

The donation comes as the second contribution of the foundation’s $150,000 pledge to support the program. The free program aims to help children cope with and process their thoughts and feelings about how life has changed for them and their families because of illness or disease.

Howard Hand in Hand served 41 families and 71 children from more than 18 area schools in 2015. The program has already helped more than 71 children in the first half of 2016.  

“I believe that Howard Hand in Hand will help meet the emotional and spiritual needs of many children and families facing extraordinary challenges,” said Dr. John Howard, founder of Howard Family Dental. “This program will provide the support children will need in, perhaps, the most challenging times of their entire life.”  

For more information on the Howard Hand in Hand Support Program, go to www.sjchs.org/howard-hand-in-hand.