Nature Coast Ministries welcomes new director, focuses on its free dental clinic | Local News

Often it will take a when for an firm to discover its market.

In 2008, Mother nature Coast Ministries started off out as a team of local pastors and volunteers seeking to support people who ended up hardest strike by the downturn in the overall economy.

They did a very little bit of this, a very little bit of that, gave persons foods and household furniture, assisted pay out electric powered charges.

And they helped a lot of folks.

In excess of the years, they rented house for their functions in which they could, irrespective of whether it was in Crystal River or Homosassa, and they’d use part of their rented area for a thrift retail outlet to produce revenue to health supplement donations from churches and persons.

They came to be acknowledged as the firm to convert to if you experienced a dwelling hearth or you had been homeless and had been moving into an apartment, furnishing your new area with every little thing you needed.

“We’ve furnished 83 properties given that the starting of our ministry,” stated Cynthia Oswald, Nature Coastline Ministries president.

However, whilst they even now do that, that has not been their principal target for about seven years.

“By the grace of God this corporation has developed considerably, but surprisingly, a whole lot of people today really do not know about our (no-price tag) dental clinic, and which is our mission. Which is in which all the cash from our thrift retail outlet goes,” Oswald said.

“It’s the only cost-free dental clinic in the entire county, and persons nonetheless really don’t know about it,” she stated.

In 2014, Citrus Memorial Well being Foundation gave Mother nature Coast Ministries $100,000 to order and preserve dental machines for a free of charge dental clinic.

The clinic first started in the previous Catholic Charities creating in Homosassa until eventually they opened the existing clinic in December 2015, with its shiny black and white floors and clear grey walls, at 7655 W. Gulf-to-Lake Freeway Device 8, Crystal River.

The products and services, absolutely free for profits-qualified people today and by-appointment only, are minimal to extractions and fillings, with the purpose of acquiring persons healthier.

Solutions are furnished by volunteers – dentists and dental assistants.

Immediately after 6 and a 50 percent several years, Character Coastline Ministries board customers understood they had achieved a place the place they required to go to a different degree.

Men and women however did not know who they were or what they’re about.

4 months ago, they employed a new government director, Sonja McCaughey, a previous Tampa Police Office officer.

“In 2007, I purchased a lake household here as a holiday spot, and fulfilled Bonnie (McMullin),” McCaughey reported.

McMullin handles community relations for the organization and is one of its most ardent cheerleaders.

“I’ve normally considered in this ministry,” McCaughey claimed. “I have a brother who has Down syndrome and is nonverbal, and he benefited from an firm like this one in Tampa where he was capable to get dental care. He had an outstanding an infection, and it is incredible it didn’t get rid of him. So, I know how important this dental clinic is to this group.”

In the four months McCaughey has been at the helm, she claimed she frequently meets people today who never know about the dental clinic or they feel it is for veterans only.

Several of the men and women they see at the clinic are veterans, Oswald stated, but not completely.

It’s for any Citrus County resident who does not have dental insurance policies and is within 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline.

A different false impression men and women have is about the Mother nature Coastline Ministries thrift shop.

“Since I’ve been here, I have read people today say they thought the thrift retail outlet was privately owned and that out of the goodness of the owner’s coronary heart they have been donating to the (dental) clinic, and that is not real,” McCaughey reported. “The thrift retail outlet had constantly been owned by Character Coastline Ministries, with all the profits heading to the no-value dental clinic.”

In addition to a new executive director, Character Coast Ministries also hired Sarah Hardy as thrift shop manager.

The thrift store is at 4546 S. Suncoast Blvd., Homosassa, in the plaza where by Ollie’s is found.

Now that they have individuals positions filled, as well as an business supervisor for the dental clinic, one particular of the ambitions is for McCaughey to be out in the group talking to people today about what Character Coastline Ministries does and what they want in order to do what they do.

To start with and foremost, they need to have volunteer dentists, even if it’s only just one day a month or 1 or two days a 12 months, or even a one particular-time change.

Presently, they have 80 folks on a waiting checklist, ready to see a dentist, Oswald said.

Aside from volunteer dentists, donations of dental gear which is no extended required, also dental materials, would be greatly appreciated.

The Character Coastline Ministries thrift retail outlet has many requirements, as nicely:

The again place of the thrift store the place they type donations demands improved lights, also far more shelving and sturdy methods to get to shelves that are higher on the wall.

They also will need a person to install security cameras, and they could use the services of an electrician and a plumber.

To find out a lot more, to volunteer or make a donation, connect with the clinic workplace at 352-422-4327 or e-mail [email protected].

Take a look at the web-site at www.my ncm.com.