Joshua Williams receives Health Access Hero Award from Sun Life and DentaQuest for addressing food insecurity across South Florida

Sun Life (NYSE:SLF) and DentaQuest named Joshua Williams a 2025 Health Access Hero on December 4, 2025, honoring his two decades of work addressing food insecurity across South Florida.

Rhea-AI Summary

Sun Life (NYSE:SLF) and DentaQuest named Joshua Williams a 2025 Health Access Hero on December 4, 2025, honoring his two decades of work addressing food insecurity across South Florida.

Williams received a $10,000 donation to Joshua's Heart Foundation (JHF). JHF reports leading over 60,000 youth volunteers, reaching more than 800,000 individuals, distributing over 8 million pounds of food and hygiene items, and serving > 40,000 people in the past year. The awards program has provided > $3.5 million in grants and recognized 130+ individuals.

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News Market Reaction – SLF

On Dec 4, the day this news came out, SLF closed 0.16% below the previous close.

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Key Figures

Donation amount: $10,000 Food insecure population: 3.2 million people Child share of need: 25% +5 more

Donation amount

$10,000

Health Access Hero Award donation to Joshua's Heart Foundation

Food insecure population

3.2 million people

People in Florida who do not always have enough food

Child share of need

25%

Share of food-insecure Floridians who are children

Youth volunteers

60,000 volunteers

Youth volunteers led and inspired by Joshua's Heart Foundation

Individuals reached

800,000 individuals

Total individuals reached by Joshua's Heart Foundation

Food and items distributed

8 million pounds

Nutritious food and hygiene items distributed by JHF

Served in past year

40,000 individuals

Individuals served by JHF in the past year

Program grants

$3.5 million

Total Health Access Hero Awards grants provided to date

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Dec 08

5 events

1. Dec 08

   Executive recognition

   24h Move

   -0.2%

   SVP of HR received an Icon Award highlighting leadership and retention.

2. Dec 04

   Workplace award

   24h Move

   -0.2%

   Sun Life U.S. named a Top Place to Work for eighth straight year.

3. Dec 04

   Community impact award

   24h Move

   -0.2%

   Health Access Hero recognition supporting food insecurity initiatives in Florida.

4. Dec 03

   Charitable campaign

   24h Move

   +0.4%

   Boston Celtics partnership raised $125,000 for health and nutrition programs.

5. Nov 25

   Conference appearance

   24h Move

   +1.2%

   CFO participation in Desjardins Toronto Conference fireside chat.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

diabetes, oral health, chronic conditions, heart disease, +2 more

6 terms

diabetes medical

"From diabetes to oral health, the Health Access Hero Awards raise awareness..."

Diabetes is a chronic health condition where the body can’t properly regulate blood sugar, like a thermostat that can’t keep temperature steady. It matters to investors because it drives long-term demand for medicines, medical devices, testing supplies and health services, influences healthcare spending and insurance costs, and affects workforce productivity — all of which can meaningfully influence company revenues and sector performance.

oral health medical

"From diabetes to oral health, the Health Access Hero Awards raise awareness..."

Oral health is the state of your mouth, teeth, gums and related tissues — whether they are free from disease, pain or functional problems — and how well they allow eating, speaking and smiling. For investors, it signals demand and risk in markets for dental products, services and treatments; like maintaining a car to avoid breakdowns, good oral health reduces long-term costs, affects healthcare spending, regulatory scrutiny, and company reputation.

chronic conditions medical

"reduce risk factors for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease..."

Chronic conditions are health problems that last for a long time and often require ongoing management, like diabetes or heart disease. They can impact a person's well-being and healthcare needs over years or even a lifetime. For investors, widespread or rising chronic conditions can influence healthcare costs, workforce productivity, and overall economic stability.

heart disease medical

"reduce risk factors for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease..."

A group of conditions that damage the heart or its blood vessels, causing the heart to pump less effectively or irregularly; common examples include blocked arteries, weakened heart muscle, and abnormal heart rhythms. Investors care because the prevalence and treatment of heart disease drive demand for drugs, medical devices, insurance payments and health care services, influence company revenues and costs, and can affect workforce productivity—much like a large recurring expense that shapes many businesses' financial outlooks.

social determinant of health medical

"By tackling such a critical social determinant of health, Joshua is working..."

A social determinant of health refers to the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, such as income, education, housing, and community support. These factors influence individuals' well-being and access to healthcare, much like the quality of ingredients affects the outcome of a recipe. For investors, understanding these determinants helps assess long-term risks and opportunities related to public health and societal stability.

oral healthcare medical

"move the needle toward ensuring oral healthcare access for all."

Products and services aimed at preventing, diagnosing and treating conditions of the mouth, teeth, gums and related tissues, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, dental devices, professional dental services and consumer treatments. Investors care because oral healthcare is a steady, often recurring market with predictable demand and regulatory oversight — like a household utility — so sales, margins and regulatory changes can directly affect a company’s revenue and risk profile.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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MIAMI, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Joshua Williams has been recognized as a 2025 Health Access Hero Awards recipient by Sun Life U.S. and DentaQuest. Individuals are nominated by friends and colleagues to shine a light on their work and receive a $10,000 donation to a charity of choice. Williams was nominated for his work addressing food insecurity in underserved communities across South Florida for nearly two decades. More than 3.2 million people in Florida don't always have enough food to eat, and 25% of them are children. The annual Health Access Hero Awards recognize individual change-makers and nonprofits working to broaden access to health services for communities in need.

Williams has been compelled to help the hungry and the poor since he was just 4 years old, when he founded Joshua's Heart Foundation (JHF). Twenty years later, he has led and inspired over 60,000 youth volunteers in the fight against hunger and poverty, empowering them to address social change. JHF has reached more than 800,000 individuals and distributed more than 8 million pounds of nutritious food and essential hygiene items to families in need. More than 40,000 individuals have been served in the past year alone.

As the leader of the youth-based organization, William's isn't just mobilizing large teams to deliver direct aid, he is empowering young people through leadership training and community engagement. Joshua's model focuses on dignity-driven care, mobile outreach, and overcoming barriers to health access for low-income, minority and immigrant families.

"At JHF, we're really concerned about solving anything that you're hungry for, whether it's skills, community, food or something else. Health in general spans not just the physical body, but also friendships, how we take care of each other and how we take care of our community and environment," said Williams. "We are so appreciative of this support, helping us be a conduit for good. For me, health access is very much a lifestyle and being conscious of the decisions you're making for yourself and your community. Health access sounds like a simple phrase, but there is a lot that goes into it, and it definitely touches all points of our life."

Healthcare access is an ongoing issue across America, and grassroots efforts can drive meaningful results within communities. From diabetes to oral health, the Health Access Hero Awards raise awareness about the work of people and programs around the country that are charting new ways to overcome longstanding healthcare challenges.

"Sun Life and DentaQuest are committed to broadening access to care through philanthropic initiatives that can have large-scale impact at local levels. By tackling such a critical social determinant of health, Joshua is working to reduce risk factors for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease while fostering a new generation of community health advocates," said David Healy, president of Sun Life U.S. "Every year, we receive dozens of nominations, and we want to thank all the unsung Heroes doing the hard work, day in and day out. And to Joshua, thank you for the opportunity to help make your impact even stronger and move the needle toward ensuring oral healthcare access for all."

There are two tracks to the Health Access Hero Awards: various grants to fund innovative health and wellness programs at community organizations, and recognition of individuals who have made a significant impact in their communities. Individual Heroes also receive a $10,000 donation to the charity of their choice. The Health Access Hero Awards have provided more than $3.5 million in grants and recognized more than 130 individuals across the country.

Read more about Joshua and the 2025 Health Access Hero Awards, including all the recipients, at https://www.dentaquest.com/en/about-us/health-access-heroes.

About DentaQuest
Sun Life U.S. Dental, which includes DentaQuest, is dedicated to improving the oral health of all through purpose-driven, outcomes-based solutions. We make dental benefits better for everyone through Preventistry^® – an inclusive approach centered on preventive, quality care, expanded access and solutions built on valued relationships across the health care ecosystem. We manage dental and vision benefits for approximately 35 million Americans. For 30 years, we have delivered cost-effective benefit plans and services for employer groups, individuals, health plans, and government-sponsored dental programs. We are the largest Medicaid and CHIP dental benefits administrator in the U.S., by membership. We also support direct patient care through an expanding network of approximately 75 dental practices in underserved communities across the United States. Learn more about Sun Life U.S. Dental at sunlife.com/dental and dentaquest.com.

About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2025, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.62 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping approximately 50 million Americans access the care and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. Sun Life employs more than 8,300 people in the U.S., including associates in our partner dental practices and affiliated companies in asset management. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information visit our website and newsroom.

Media contact
Maya Linson
Sun Life U.S./DentaQuest
maya.linson@improvingoralhealth.com
202.794.3738

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/joshua-williams-receives-health-access-hero-award-from-sun-life-and-dentaquest-for-addressing-food-insecurity-across-south-florida-302632344.html

SOURCE DentaQuest, part of Sun Life U.S.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did Sun Life (SLF) and DentaQuest announce on December 4, 2025?

They named Joshua Williams a 2025 Health Access Hero and awarded a $10,000 donation to his charity, Joshua's Heart Foundation.

How much funding does a Health Access Hero recipient receive from Sun Life and DentaQuest?

Individual Health Access Hero recipients receive a $10,000 donation to a charity of their choice.

What impact metrics did Joshua's Heart Foundation report in the award announcement?

JHF reported 60,000 youth volunteers, reaching > 800,000 individuals, and distributing > 8 million pounds of food and hygiene items.

How many people did Joshua's Heart Foundation serve in the past year, according to the announcement?

The announcement states JHF served more than 40,000 individuals in the past year.

How much has the Health Access Hero Awards program granted overall to date?

The Health Access Hero Awards have provided more than $3.5 million in grants and recognized over 130 individuals.