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

Often it usually takes a while for an organization to locate its area of interest.

In 2008, Nature Coast Ministries begun out as a group of local pastors and volunteers seeking to assistance people who were most difficult strike by the downturn in the overall economy.

They did a tiny bit of this, a minor bit of that, gave persons food and furnishings, assisted pay back electrical costs.

And they served a large amount of persons.

In excess of the decades, they rented room for their functions where they could, no matter whether it was in Crystal River or Homosassa, and they’d use section of their rented place for a thrift retail store to make income to dietary supplement donations from churches and men and women.

They came to be recognized as the group to transform to if you experienced a house hearth or you experienced been homeless and have been going into an condominium, furnishing your new spot with every little thing you desired.

“We’ve furnished 83 properties considering the fact that the commencing of our ministry,” stated Cynthia Oswald, Character Coast Ministries president.

Nevertheless, despite the fact that they nonetheless do that, that hasn’t been their major aim for about seven years.

“By the grace of God this organization has developed noticeably, but remarkably, a lot of individuals never know about our (no-charge) dental clinic, and that is our mission. That’s wherever all the dollars from our thrift store goes,” Oswald said.

“It’s the only absolutely free dental clinic in the whole county, and individuals nonetheless never know about it,” she stated.

In 2014, Citrus Memorial Wellbeing Foundation gave Nature Coastline Ministries $100,000 to acquire and maintain dental tools for a totally free dental clinic.

The clinic first started out in the former Catholic Charities developing in Homosassa right up until they opened the current clinic in December 2015, with its shiny black and white floors and clean grey walls, at 7655 W. Gulf-to-Lake Freeway Unit 8, Crystal River.

The products and services, no cost for income-certified folks and by-appointment only, are limited to extractions and fillings, with the objective of receiving individuals wholesome.

Solutions are offered by volunteers – dentists and dental assistants.

Following 6 and a half decades, Nature Coastline Ministries board members realized they had attained a point the place they needed to go to a different stage.

Folks even now did not know who they ended up or what they are about.

Four months back, they employed a new executive director, Sonja McCaughey, a previous Tampa Police Department officer.

“In 2007, I bought a lake household in this article as a holiday place, and met Bonnie (McMullin),” McCaughey said.

McMullin handles community relations for the organization and is 1 of its most ardent cheerleaders.

“I’ve generally believed in this ministry,” McCaughey explained. “I have a brother who has Down syndrome and is nonverbal, and he benefited from an corporation like this a person in Tampa wherever he was able to get dental care. He had an unbelievable infection, and it is awesome it did not get rid of him. So, I know how essential this dental clinic is to this neighborhood.”

In the 4 months McCaughey has been at the helm, she claimed she constantly meets men and women who really do not know about the dental clinic or they think it is for veterans only.

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

It’s for any Citrus County resident who does not have dental insurance and is in just 200 per cent of the federal poverty guideline.

A different false impression individuals have is about the Nature Coastline Ministries thrift store.

“Since I have been right here, I have read individuals say they assumed the thrift shop 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 store experienced often been owned by Mother nature Coastline Ministries, with all the gains going to the no-price tag dental clinic.”

In addition to a new executive director, Mother nature Coastline Ministries also hired Sarah Hardy as thrift retail outlet supervisor.

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

Now that they have people positions stuffed, additionally an workplace manager for the dental clinic, 1 of the plans is for McCaughey to be out in the group speaking to people about what Mother nature Coastline Ministries does and what they need in purchase to do what they do.

Initial and foremost, they have to have volunteer dentists, even if it’s only 1 day a thirty day period or 1 or two times a 12 months, or even a one-time change.

Currently, they have 80 persons on a waiting around record, waiting around to see a dentist, Oswald claimed.

Apart from volunteer dentists, donations of dental products which is no longer wanted, also dental supplies, would be significantly appreciated.

The Character Coastline Ministries thrift retailer has a number of demands, as properly:

The back again location of the thrift retail store exactly where they kind donations requirements greater lights, also more shelving and durable actions to access cabinets that are higher on the wall.

They also want someone to put in security cameras, and they could use the solutions of an electrician and a plumber.

To understand additional, to volunteer or make a donation, contact the clinic place of work at 352-422-4327 or e-mail [email protected].

Go to the internet site at www.my ncm.com.