A Belleville city councillor is challenging local dentists to help a worthy cause.
Jimmy McLean, Community Liaison for Gift from the Heart made a deputation to Belleville City Council on Monday.
Gift from the Heart is a national charity started locally by Bev Woods.
Volunteer dentists and registered dental hygienists provide emergency and preventative oral health care to under-served people.
McLean told council they are there to redefine under-served.
“Seniors and retired, especially those with concerns about frailty, diabetes, heart disease and dementia. Limited or no finances available for required emergency care. No access to ODSP or OW or the working poor.”
Approximately 30% of Canadians don’t have dental insurance with that number estimated at 34% locally.
Gift from the Heart receives all of its funding from donations and grants.
Councillor Garnet Thompson commended the work Gift from the Heart does and said he would like to see more support for the organization from local dentists.
“I certainly would like to challenge our dentists in this community to come forward and donate half a day a month to your organization, and the number that you could fill, the need in this community would be fabulous.”
Gift from the Heart currently has an outreach dental clinic in Brighton and a mobile outreach dental clinic at Loyalist College.
Gift from the Heart founder Bev Woods says they hope be able to move the mobile clinic around the region, however, the insurance to do that is very expensive.
Also, during his deputation, McLean took a moment to thank the city for donating a pickup truck to Gift from the Heart.
