Staff at the HealthFirst Family Care Center arranged two days on April 21st and 23rd when families who had no transportation could be taken to the Center for their children to be seen for dental check-ups and cleanings. Many of the children had not seen a dentist in several years. Services were offered at no charge to the parents. A second day of dental visits was arranged two days later. Transportation for the families was provided by People Incorporated and by Partners through a Vela Foundation grant. The project was organized Wendy Garf-Lipp, Executive Director of United Neighbors of Fall River and Chairperson of the Coalition for Health and Well-Being. Click here for pictures of a similar clinic offered for adults in February 2015. Click here for photos of a cooking class for families offered through one of the local churches. Click here for a five-minute video of the event. For more information, contact Wendy Garf-Lipp at 508-324-7900.

(Top row, left and right) HealthFirst Dental Outreach Coordinator Betty Nunes consults with Clinic staff members Jessia Millet and Carla Abreu before talking with Chelsie Cavenaugh to schedule the children in the dental clinic. (Top row, center) Partners Community Outreach Manager Brian Moses teaches some juggling skill to one of the older children. (Row two) As Brian plays a game with the children, SCI Volunteer Sophie Fierst shows children her violin that she brought with her to play during a game of musical chairs. (Rows three and four) Betty Nunes goes over the paperwork with one of the mothers while her three-year-old son, Jon Carlos, talks with Dental Assistant Tiffany Moniz and dentist and orthodontist Dr. Jeremiah Juson. (Bottom row) Coach Kim of WiggleKids and her daughter arrive with some bouncy balls to give the children more active time while waiting for their appointments.