Foundation Invests in Iowa Communities with Rethink Your Drink Program

Posted on June 17, 2026 in Foundation

JOHNSTON, IA (June 16, 2026) – Visitors to 16 Iowa community spaces, parks, and trails now have better access to convenient Elkay water bottle filling stations thanks to the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation. Through the Foundation’s Rethink Your Drink program, $96,750 was donated in 2026.

Since 2017, the Foundation has donated and supported the installation costs of over 445 indoor water bottle filling stations to schools and libraries across the state. Since many schools already have filling stations, the Foundation shifted its investment to focus exclusively on outdoor community spaces, expanding access to drinking water where Iowans live, gather, and recreate. This year, 16 Elkay water bottle filling stations were awarded to be installed at Iowa parks, trailheads, and gathering spaces, expanding access to drinking water for outdoor recreation.  

“Rethink Your Drink continues to make a meaningful impact by improving access to drinking water across Iowa,” said Suzanne Heckenlaible, executive director, Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation. “This year, the program evolved to focus exclusively on expanding access to drinking water in outdoor public spaces where people gather and stay active, making water the easy choice.”

Sugary drinks are a leading source of added sugar in our diets. A high intake of sugar among children is associated with being overweight, displacement of milk consumption, and dental cavities. Water is a zero-calorie healthy alternative to sugary drinks that is championed through the Rethink Your Drink program.

The addition of the 16 water bottle filling stations installed in Iowa parks and trails will impact thousands of Iowans. Since Delta Dental launched the Rethink Your Drink program in 2017, more than $2.7 million has been invested in over 500 indoor and outdoor water bottle filling stations across Iowa communities.

Click here to see a complete list of the 16 parks and trails added to the Rethink Your Drink program in 2026.