DaVita Inc. , a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), announced today that DaVita's Scholarship Foundation programs have distributed more than $1 million in funding for the educational pursuits of the children and grandchildren of DaVita® teammates (employees).

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DaVita offers scholarship opportunities to the families of teammates through two unique programs, The K.T. Family Foundation and The DaVita Children's Foundation.

The K.T. Family Foundation is privately funded by Kent Thiry, Chairman and CEO of DaVita, his wife, Denise O'Leary along with a few other donors. Since 2001, they have awarded 263 students with $556,000 in scholarships that can be used for private school tuition (grades 6-11) or deferred and applied towards college educational expenses.

"Kent and Denise have an incredible amount of respect for DaVita teammates, the values they uphold and the daily work they perform," said Kay Kargul, Scholarship Foundations Director.

The DaVita Children's Foundation - which was created in 2000 from a $500,000 endowment from the company - has awarded 232 students with $455,000 in scholarship funds. Recipients are awarded a scholarship ranging from $1,000 - 3,000 to use towards tuition, books, supplies, room and board, or other required equipment for their education. Every candidate submission is reviewed by a group of voluntary Trustees and measures the student's involvement in community service, academic performance and demonstrated leadership.

DaVita is a registered trademark of DaVita Inc. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita Inc.

DaVita Inc., a FORTUNE 500® company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, providing dialysis services and education for patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita manages more than 1,400 outpatient facilities and acute units in more than 700 hospitals located in 43 states and the District of Columbia, serving approximately 110,000 patients. As part of DaVita's commitment to building a healthy, caring community, DaVita develops, participates in and donates to numerous programs dedicated to transforming communities and creating positive, sustainable change for children, families and our environment. For more information about DaVita, its kidney education materials, and its community programs, please visit www.davita.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: LeAnne.Zumwalt@davita.com

SOURCE: DaVita Inc.