IMMOKALEE, Fla. — In Immokalee, where there's only one dental clinic serving the entire community, a new donation is helping families who have been forced to choose between dental care and basic necessities.
The Immokalee Water and Sewer District donated $8,000 to Healthcare Network on Wednesday, with funds specifically for dental services in our community.
Mariana Escalante Vasquez knows the struggle all too well. As a mother of a 2-year-old son, she often finds herself financially drained after paying for her child's dental appointments
"The appointments come out to be too expensive... I can't do it," Escalante Vasquez said.
Click here to see Immokalee Community Correspondent Victoria Quevedo speak with Mariana.
The financial burden has forced her to make difficult choices to keep her toddler's teeth healthy.
"I have to go make his appointment, and maximum, I have to take 200 dollars. Those 200 dollars, I lose, I can't buy things for the house... sometimes I have to borrow because I'm left with nothing because of his appointment," Escalante Vasquez said.
The donation comes from an unexpected source. When the water district board stopped adding fluoride to the drinking water, they chose to redirect those savings to support dental health in the community.
Sarah Catala with Immokalee Water and Sewer says many residents face impossible choices when it comes to healthcare.
"People literally are having to make decisions. Well, do I buy milk for the rest of my family, or do I take my child to get their teeth cleaned?" Catala said.
For many families in our Immokalee community, this donation could mean the difference between preventative care and painful emergencies.
Healthcare Network plans to use the money to provide dental services to their patients, addressing barriers that many residents face.
"This donation is really important to the services that we provide, especially in Immokalee, because a lot of our patients here have barriers to care, so transportation, the ability to take time off of work, lack of insurance and the funds needed to be able to afford such services is to provide dental care within the community," said Gabrielle O'Boyle, Healthcare Network's Senior Director of Marketing and Communications.
For Mariana and her son Liam, this support could mean no more choosing between dental health and other essential needs.
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