Charitable Giving Announcements
Dr. Myron Wentz Legacy Initiative
In August of 2020, Dr. Wentz established a Legacy Initiative with the Children’s Hunger Fund. The Legacy Initiative includes a gift of $50 million over a period of 9 years to support CHF’s 2030 Growth Initiative. The Legacy Gift will enable significant expansion of CHF’s programs currently serving orphans and impoverished children and their families in 25 countries.
The main objectives of the Legacy Initiative are:
International
- Establish 25 new Mercy Networks into more countries – expanding their reach and effectiveness in helping underprivileged children. These would include self-sustaining programs, educational and medical support, orphan care, emergency feeding programs, and other wellness programs.
- Create a minimum of 35 new Mercy Centers, in addition to the 7 Wentz Mercy Centers in Romania, Albania, Myanmar, Dominican Republic, Nepal, Haiti, and Peru.
- Establish an additional 5 Medical Centers - adding to the existing 7 centers in Cambodia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi, Nepal, and the Dominican Republic.
Domestic
- Fund the building of a 100,000 ft2 Global Distribution Center in Dallas, Texas, that will be necessary for future growth created by the 2030 Growth Initiative.
- Establish 200 new distribution points in geographic areas serving large populations of impoverished children and families.
Another objective of the Legacy Initiative is to provide infrastructure and organizational building to accomplish growth through increased technology and virtual training.
Children's Hunger Fund
- COVID-19 Response Efforts
In support of Children’s Hunger Fund’s global response plan to provide emergency food and medical assistance to orphans and impoverished children severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Wentz provided CHF with $2M to benefit the communities throughout CHF’s Mercy Networks.
Mercury Free Dentistry
- Dr. Myron Wentz is funding the 2021 campaign of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry seeking to transition all of Africa to mercury-free dentistry. This will be the fourth year he has fully funded this campaign, which has targeted twenty countries – South Africa being the twentieth. Once they secure an NGO partner in South Africa they will have campaigns in all four of the economic anchors of the continent. Dr. Wentz is pleased to have helped Africa, the second largest continent in size and population, lead the way for mercury-free dentistry. This last push should herald the successful completion of Dr. Wentz’s support for this campaign and signal a redirection of his thoughts toward other areas of the world in need of dental amalgam reform. Learn more about the campaign.
Hurricane Relief
- Children’s Hunger Fund
The Wentz Foundation directed $50,000 toward CHF’s Honduras and Guatemala Mercy Network disaster relief efforts in the wake of the terrible hurricanes which decimated the area. Download the Hurricane Relief Report - The Cornerstone Foundation
At the recommendation of one of Dr. Wentz’s USANA Vision award winners (Dr. Steve Hryszczuk) the Wentz Foundation sent $20,000 to assist with The Cornerstone Foundation’s relief efforts (through the Loma de Luz Honduras Hurricane Relief). Learn more about The Cornerstone Foundation
Children's Hunger Fund
Dr. Wentz has always felt passionate about helping others to lead healthier lives, but his main focus has been the plight of the orphaned and poverty-stricken children of the world. This is why Dr. Wentz has a long-established humanitarian relationship with the non-profit organization Children's Hunger Fund (CHF).
Dr. Wentz has traveled with CHF to impoverished and strife-ridden areas around the world. Witnessing first-hand the challenges faced by the children and families during these trips affected Dr. Wentz greatly and drove him to action through these experiences. Over the years he has helped fund many projects organized by CHF – sending food to refugee camps and assisting families rebuild their homes in northern Uganda, providing much needed medicine and food to orphans and impoverished children in countries such as the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Korea, Peru, and Zimbabwe, and even helping cover shortfalls for CHF when needed funds didn't materialize.
He continues to support CHF through projects such as the Wentz Medical Centers and Mercy Centers and is always seeking new ways to benefit the countless orphaned and impoverished children throughout the world.
Learn more about the Children's Hunger Fund.
The Children's Hunger Fund has created a website dedicated to Dr. Wentz which highlights the impact he has had in helping suffering children and families domestically and around the world.
Volunteer Center
Dr. Wentz donated $605,000 to Children’s Hunger Fund for the construction of a new volunteer center located at their global distribution center in California. Volunteers are able to assemble meal packs in a sanitary, humidity-controlled, and health department approved facility - for distribution through CHF’s Mercy Networks in 25 countries.
Cargo of Hope
Cargo of Hope was created in response to the expanded reach of CHF and its ability to serve the needs of vulnerable children in orphan homes and villages around the world. The initiative was largely funded through the generous contribution of Dr. Wentz in December 2013. The Cargo of Hope accomplished a great deal, including:
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Providing 11.7 million meals to vulnerable children around the world
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Providing food packs to aid disaster victims in Japan
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Sending emergency food shipments to Liberia and Sierra Leone in response to the Ebola crisis
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Supporting new Mercy Networks with food shipments in Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, the Philippines, and Thailand
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Expanding feeding programs and providing additional food shipments to Haiti, Dominican Republic, North Korea, Ghana, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Jordan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Cambodia, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Rwanda
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Stocking more than 20,000 food packs distributed within the United States with higher protein and vitamin-fortified food items
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Distributing a total of 60 truckloads of nutrient-rich food shipments and supplements, consisting of:
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24 truckloads of assorted beans (cranberry, pinto, navy, white, seven bean mix)
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23 truckloads of vitamin-fortified meal packets (soy/lentil/rice)
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6 truckloads of oatmeal (180,000 pounds)
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100,000 pounds of assorted protein bars and nutritional supplements
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120,000 pounds of bulk food items and protein drinks
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80,000 pounds of dried fruit
The lives and health of children in orphanages and impoverished areas were significantly impacted with this initiative.
The Wentz Medical Centers
In conjunction with the Children’s Hunger Fund, the first Wentz Medical Center and Laboratory was established in Ggaba, Uganda in August, 2005. This facility provides both comprehensive medical care and health education for a community of 300,000 people—many of whom suffer from malaria and HIV/AIDS or have been orphaned by these diseases. Since its inception, the Wentz Medical Center has grown from serving 5–15 patients a day to 50–80, and from one clinic to three—with the addition of two rural satellite clinics. Learn more about the Wentz Medical Center in Uganda.
In 2008, Dr. Wentz created a similar Wentz Medical Center in Cambodia. The primary function of this facility is to provide medical and dental care for more than 6,000 orphan children in their 106 orphan homes throughout the 24 provinces. Additionally, another 18,000 children and adults from local villages are served annually.
In honor of Dr. Wentz, a medical center was established in Malawi in 2011 through the generous donations of many USANA Associates.
Dr. Wentz’s newest project, in Nepal, is being built in Kathmandu Valley in partnership with Himalayan Mission. When completed, the 4-story Medical Clinic and Mercy Center will provide a laboratory, pharmacy, exam rooms, medical imaging, orphan care, education center, kitchen, feeding center, and administrative offices.
Wentz Prenatal and Child Development Center
There is much child and maternal malnutrition in many parts of Rwanda, with over 50% of children chronically malnourished. Dr. Wentz gladly donated the funds needed to build The Wentz Prenatal and Child Development Center, located within the Dream Medical Center in Kigali, providing comprehensive pre and post-natal care and education. The center was dedicated in May of 2018.
Watch the Wentz Prenatal and Child Development Center dedication video.
Wentz Mercy Centers
Dr. Wentz has pledged an initial five million dollars to establish Mercy Centers throughout the Children’s Hunger Fund Mercy Network (in 25 countries). This initiative provides pastors capital grants to build structures on their property to provide secure storage space for food paks, bulk food, nutritional and medical supplies; kitchen space to prepare daily hot meals; classroom space for orphan care programs; and to accommodate mobile medical brigades. These structures also function as community centers for the Mercy Network pastors to benefit more children and their families.
Centers in Romania, Albania, and the Dominican Republic have been completed and are already benefiting the children and families of their communities and centers in Nepal, Myanmar, Peru, and Haiti are currently in the production phase.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Children's Hunger Fund recognized Dr. Wentz with their first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award for his philanthropic efforts. The award honors individuals who, through their efforts and generosity, empower the nonprofit organization to deliver hope to suffering children around the globe. This award was presented to Dr. Wentz during CHF's 25th Anniversary Banquet at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. More information.
Children's Champion Award
In honor of Dr. Wentz' continued support for CHF, the organization presented him with the Children's Champion Award in March 2006. The Children's Champion award recognizes those who have used their positions of influence in government, business, and charity to provide for the welfare and needs of children.
USANA Foundation
The USANA Foundation was established in 2012 to encourage USANA Associates and employees to join Dr. Wentz in the blessing of giving. The Foundation's mission is to provide the most critical human necessities—nutrition, clothing, shelter, medical assistance, and health education—to those who are suffering or in need. One hundred percent of donations go directly to help those in need, and all administrative costs are covered by USANA. As of 2020 the USANA Foundation has given aid to 37 countries.
Donations to the USANA Foundation can be allocated to the Global Meal Relief fund, providing immediate food relief to those suffering loss, tragedy, and extreme malnutrition, or to the Sustainable Programs fund, to empower and equip individuals to create long-lasting sources of nutritious food.
Learn more: http://www.usanafoundation.org/
North Central College
While his primary focus is on health and disease prevention, Dr. Wentz is also passionate about music, and he strongly supports music education. This passion led him to help fund the Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center at his undergraduate alma mater, North Central College, in Naperville, Illinois. The concert hall was completed in 2008.
Learn more about the Wentz Concert Hall and view upcoming events.
This is not the only building on campus that bears the Wentz name. In 2017, the magnificent Dr. Myron Wentz Science Center was open for classes and dedicated on October 20, 2017. This $60 million state-of-the-art facility encompasses 125,000 square feet and has 18 teaching labs, 16 research labs, 15 classrooms, an auditorium, 53 faculty offices, and 19 student social areas.
Watch the Dr. Myron Wentz Science Center dedication video.
Dr. Wentz has also made possible a health sciences and engineering facility, currently in the production phase, which will also bear Dr. Wentz’s name.
The PackerWentz Endowment
Dr. Wentz provided the funding to create The PackerWentz Endowment along with fellow microbiologist and colleague Dr. Lester Packer from the University of Southern California.
The Endowment was created to foster and support medical and scientific education and research.
Similar to Dr. Wentz, Dr. Packer has devoted much of his career to investigating oxidative damage and reducing the incidence of degenerative disease through research on free radicals and clinical antioxidant application.
Facing Africa
Dr. Wentz learned of a life-altering and debilitating disease, brought about by extreme poverty and chronic malnutrition, called Noma. This devastating gangrenous infection starts in the mouth and spreads quickly to disfigure the face. It mostly affects children, usually under the age of 6. During his subsequent research, Dr. Wentz discovered Facing Africa. Founded in 1998 by Chris Lawrence and Allan Thom, this not-for-profit charity sends highly-skilled, volunteer surgical teams into the heart of Ethiopia several times a year to provide facial reconstructive surgeries for the victims of Noma. Dr. Wentz was so heartened by this organization's work that he sponsored Facing Africa's May 2016 mission to Ethiopia. He plans to continue offering his assistance and support in the battle against Noma. Learn more about Facing Africa.
Mercury Free Dentistry
Campaign for Mercury Free Dentistry — The Mercury-Free Dentistry Campaign seeks to abolish mercury fillings worldwide.
Africa Campaign
The World Alliance for Mercury Free Dentistry and Consumers for Dental Choice initiated a campaign to ban dental amalgams in all of Africa. Dr. Wentz fully funded this campaign for a fourth year in 2021. The campaign continues to expand its reach throughout the six major regions of Africa – striving to put an end to amalgam teaching in dental schools, abolish amalgam use for all children (and soon all adults), end amalgam use in public programs and in hospitals, and promote mercury-free alternatives.
Dr. Wentz is a meaningful donor to organizations that are engaged in protecting the health of children:
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Children's Health Defense — CHD’s mission is to end childhood health epidemics by working aggressively to eliminate harmful environmental exposures, hold those responsible for the exposure accountable, and establish safeguards to ensure the future good health of our children and planet.
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Environmental Health Trust — EHT is dedicated to safeguarding human health and the environment by empowering people with accurate and timely information, education, and ongoing research regarding environmental health hazards.
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Fluoride Action Network — FAN seeks to end fluoridation by informing citizens, scientists, and policymakers of the toxicity of fluoride.
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Dental Amalgam Mercury Solutions — DAMS was founded for the purpose of educating the public on the dangers of amalgams, and other toxic chemicals and dental procedures.
Dr. Wentz also supports:
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National Vaccine Information Center — NVIC is dedicated to preventing vaccine injuries and deaths through public education and advocating for informed consent protections.
