Hundreds more children will receive medical and dental coverage in Santa Clara County thanks to a $600,000 donation to the Healthy Kids program by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

Several local politicians joined bigwigs in the medical community at PAMF's Mountain View center on Wednesday to celebrate the large grant, which will help 600 children in the Healthy Kids program of the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation (SCFHF).

"It's really special for us to be able to support six hundred children in this community who otherwise would fall through the cracks," said PAMF executive vice president Richard Slavin, M.D., as he presented an oversized check to Kathleen King, executive director of the SCFHF.

"The stress on our society, particularly our state, is extreme -- so it's just a tremendous pleasure to make this donation," he said.

Launched in 2001, the Healthy Kids program raises funds with the goal of providing every child in Santa Clara County with access to quality health care through insurance. For $1,000 a year, the Healthy Kids program can provide a child with full health coverage.

Speakers at the event stressed that medical and dental care for children keeps them from missing school and alleviates stress on families. The list of attendees included Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, state Sen. Elaine Alquist, county Supervisor Liz Kniss, state Assemblymember Paul Fong and Mountain View Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga.

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