JOHNS ISLAND—Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach is pleased to announce it has received a $30,000 grant from Delta Dental of Missouri, which also does business in South Carolina as Delta Dental of South Carolina. The Delta Dental grant was awarded to support the Dental Services for the Uninsured: Improving Access to Oral Health Care program. Through its mission to improve oral health, Delta Dental of South Carolina contributes financial support for dental health initiatives and outreach events in communities it serves, especially for children and adults in need.
The funds will help the dental program impact the lives of many residents of James, Johns and Wadmalaw Islands and downtown Charleston. The program offers preventative and restorative dental care for those who lack insurance or the means to pay for it, and also includes direct oral health education for patients. Free dental services are available at the Johns Island clinic, and the Neighborhood House clinic in Charleston. Delta Dental’s funding backs the mission of Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach, which is to encourage and support self-sufficiency and self-worth for people in need in our community through education, wellness and outreach services.
“Delta Dental’s grant helps make our mission real,” said Ericka Plater, executive director of Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach. “Every day our clients tell us what a difference dental care has made in their lives. Dental care improved their health and gave them renewed self-confidence to pursue their goals; this is what makes our community stronger.”
Delta Dental of South Carolina awards annual grants to organizations that align with its mission.
“We share mutual goals with Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach and its Dental Services for the Uninsured Program — to improve oral health and help provide access to vital care for those who need it most,” said Rob Goren, Delta Dental of Missouri’s president and CEO. “We’re so glad to know that our grant will be used to help give essential dental treatment to many individuals in South Carolina, who may not be able to get it any other way. Their quality of life depends on it.”
About Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach: Founded in 1989, Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach provides educational, health and direct outreach services to more than 5,000 people each year in the Lowcountry. The two locations include Johns Island on Brownswood Road, serving the needs of James, Johns and Wadmalaw Island residents; and the Neighborhood House in Charleston that serves Eastside-area residents. For more information, visit www.olmoutreach.org.
