By Joel Magalnick, Editor, JTNews
Hannah and Zachary Robin
Ages: 17 and 14
Healthy teeth make healthy people. That’s long been the mantra of Hannah Robin, founder of the nonprofit organization 2thfairy.org.
“It could be a life or death situation if you lose teeth,” Hannah says. “Eventually [your] gums will get infected, [which can] lead to blood clotting and could possibly go to the brain.”
The incoming senior at Seattle’s University Prep started the organization in large part because of the care given to her by her own dentist and orthodontist.
“They’re great people, and so that made me interested in dental work,” Hannah says. “I’m very interested in teeth.”
2thfairy takes donated basic dental-care items that most of us take for granted, as well as easy-to-learn information on how to use them, and puts them into the hands of kids who don’t have them.
“I love for younger kids to understand how to brush their teeth and how to floss, because it is a big deal,” Hannah says. “Not many people have the opportunity to go to the dentist or orthodontist.”
So far, two groups have been receiving packages from this organization that launched last fall: An Indian reservation in South Dakota, and more recently an orphanage in Peru.
According to Hannah’s mom, Lisa Robin, their contact at the reservation teaches health and physical education to the kids. He said that oftentimes people want to donate to the bigger, flashier projects, and “the Indian reservation kids are often forgotten.”
For many of these children it’s their first introduction to dental care.
“It just means more to her that it’s getting into the hands of the kids that need it,” says Lisa Robin.
Hannah blocks out three or four hours each week to fill her little blue bags with her logo on it with a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss, as well as an illustrated informational sheet on how to use each. She then packs them up and ships them out.
“I use the money I earn through baby-sitting to send over the products,” she says.
This is mainly a solo project, but her younger brother Zachary helps out, and once she has to start preparing for college, he’ll take over a lot of the effort. Zach is also interested in expanding the web presence to help get the word out about 2thfairy.org.
As she does start with her college applications, Hannah says she’s looking at schools with more rigorous scientific tracks, since she hopes to turn her love of dentistry into a career.
But the teeth aren’t everything. She also plays guitar, and the Jewish Day School alumna loves to hang out with many of the friends she made there.
“Our grade was really tight-knit,” she says. “We’re all family, and that’s one reason I do really miss JDS. I miss that family feel.”
So far, Hannah has been collecting items from three spots: Her beloved dentist Dr. Cyndy Pauley of Brookside Dental and orthodontist Dr. Barton Soper of Advanced Orthodontics in North Bellevue, as well as from Affordable Dental Care in Factoria.
She has a goal of sending out 1,000 bags by December 31, so she has put out the call for more donors and for more pickup sites.
“If any dental offices or people couponing would like to give any sort of items, mainly toothbrush, toothpaste and floss,” Hannah says, “I will be willing to pick up from Seattle, Mercer Island or the Eastside, anytime.”