McKnight foundation honors founding member of Oral Health Task Force

Cook County resident Paul Nelson has been awarded the 2025 Virginia McKnight Binger Heart of Community Honor for the Northeast Region.

The award recognizes seven Minnesotans from across the state who demonstrate compassion and service in their communities. Each recipient receives $10,000 in recognition of their impact.

The announcement was made on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, by the McKnight Foundation in partnership with the Minnesota Council on Foundations, marking the 40th year the honor has been presented.

Nelson was recognized for his work forming the Oral Health Task Force, which provides dental services to children, expectant mothers, and uninsured or underinsured adults age 65 and older in Cook County, as well as members of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa at Grand Marais Family Dentistry.

Projects supported by the task force include free oral exams for residents 65 and older at The Hub in Grand Marais and financial assistance for those without adequate dental insurance.

According to the McKnight Foundation, Cook County now has the lowest rate of children’s cavities in Minnesota.

The Oral Health Task Force began in 2012 through the North Shore Health Care Foundation out of concern for children’s oral health and became part of Sawtooth Mountain Clinic in 2020. Today, the task force includes Cook County Public Health & Human Services, Grand Marais Family Dentistry, Grand Portage Health Services, the North Shore Health Care Foundation, Sawtooth Mountain Clinic and a parent representative.

“These seven Minnesotans embody the power of showing up with purpose and care,” said Tonya Allen, president of the McKnight Foundation. “Across Minnesota — from Moorhead to Red Lake Nation, from Rochester to Cook County — they are breaking down barriers, creating spaces where people belong and building communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

The McKnight Foundation was established in Minneapolis in 1953 by William L. McKnight, an early leader at 3M, and his wife, Maude L. McKnight. Virginia McKnight Binger, their daughter, was the foundation’s first board chair.

Josh Hinke December 1, 2025