Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

The Gold for Food Program was another great success this year. Since the inception of the Gold for Food Program, an amazing total of $573,503.86 has been donated to benefit the hungry of Livingston County.

The program made a very generous donation to the Gleaners Food Bank of Livingston County. This year the total amount collected in dental metal was $23,396.26. This amount was then generously matched by Ford Motor Company making for a super total donation of $46,792.52.

Several local dentists and many generous local dental patients participated in the program this past year that was initiated by Dr. Fred Bonine back in 1996.

Patients are asked if they would like to donate any extracted teeth that contain precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum or palladium. These teeth are collected by participating dentists over a year and then sent to Atlantic Precious Metals, a refinery located in Pennsylvania. The proceeds are then donated to Gleaners Food Bank of Livingston County.

We are proud to have these local dentists in our area that participate in the Gold for Food Program: Dr. Brad Rondeau, Dr. Virginia Eick, Dr. Matthew Matuszak, Dr. Walter Goodell, Dr. Tara Wilson, Dr. Todd Charlick, Dr. Melissa Shalhoub, Dr. Michelle Andrusyszyn, Dr. Bill Mathers, Dr. Christina Scanlon, Dr. Jonathan Birchmeier, Dr. John G. Keeton, Dr. Gwynne Attarian, Dr. Elizabeth Prast and Dr. Fred Bonine.

A donation of that size makes a large impact on the families here in our own community that need a little help with putting food on the family table.

If you are anticipating any dental extractions in the coming future, please inquire of your dentist encouraging them to participate with the Gold for Food Program. The donation from last year provided 142,446 meals!

What a wonderful way to repurpose, recycle and help your hungry neighbors.