Ann Arbor, MI — February 14, 2011 — “Thank you, University of Michigan School of Dentistry for helping us when we needed it the most,” said Karla Hull, the mother of a seven-year-old Cooper Hull.  “I never dreamed anyone would do something like this for our family.  It definitely was a surprise and something we appreciate,” she added.

The Hull family never had dental insurance, and as a result of the economic downturn and a significant reduction in the family’s income, it became even more difficult to pay for the dental work her son needed.  As part of the Give a Dollar, Make a Smile program conducted by the School’s Staff Forum Committee, faculty, staff, and students raised enough money to provide $750 of dental care for Cooper in the School’s pediatric clinic.

Karla said Cooper, who attends Village Elementary School in Hartland, “loves everything about school and is a creative little guy” who has a knack for drawing and painting.  “He’s been drawing and painting since he was about three and makes sketches of just about anything, especially superheroes,” she said.  “What has really impressed me, and his teachers too, is how much detail he includes in his drawings.”

Tina Pryor, leader of the Staff Forum Committee and director of the School’s Department of Human Resources, said, “Although it is impossible to help everyone, we were happy to make a difference in the life of Cooper and his family.”

In 2009, more than $1,000 was contributed by the School’s faculty, staff, and students that was donated to the Ypsilanti SOS Crisis Center for Families, a community-based nonprofit organization that offers comprehensive services dedicated to helping families, children, and youth in Washtenaw County avoid homelessness.