Just about every school in Hillsborough County and beyond has benefitted from MORE HEALTH, Inc.’s programs, which provide health and injury prevention lessons to children, teens and adults. It hopes the knowledge provided will help young people to make healthier decisions leading to a lifetime of overall well-being.
A non-profit 501(c)( 3) organization, MORE HEALTH was founded in 1989 by the Junior League of Tampa. Karen Pesce is the Executive Director and has been since 1998 being with MORE HEALTH for over 20 years. Tampa General was the founding partner in 1992.
Locally, MORE HEALTH recently received $50,000 from the Katie Marchetti Foundation. Pesce said, “The funding we received will support the Trauma Lesson and other safety lessons that we teach.” The ‘Trauma Is No Accident’ Lesson for high school students addresses brain and spinal cord injuries and their causes. Seatbelts, drinking and driving, texting, distractions including cell phones, eating in the car and friends in the car are discussed in the hour class which engages children while teaching them the importance of safe driving.
MORE HEALTH is currently involved in Florida’s first-ever Mission of Mercy event, which will be held on Friday and Saturday, March 28-29 at the Special Events Center at the Florida State Fairgrounds, located at 4800 U.S. 301 in Tampa. The doors open at 5:30 a.m. and patients will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Approximately 800 people will be seen each day. MORE HEALTH will provide volunteer services and oral health education to the event.
Although the first in Florida, this event began in Virgina over a decade ago, targeting underserved populations and providing free dental care to anyone who shows up. These events have since been replicated nationally.
Heading up the event is the Dental Association’s Project President, Dr. Terry Buckenheimer. Free dental services for the underserved in the Tampa Bay Area will be provided. At least 1,000 volunteers are needed to help with this community event. Teams of volunteers are encouraged.
Volunteer registration is now open. To register, please visit www.fdhf.info/flamom.html. For more information on MORE HEALTH and to visit their newly launched store online, visit www.morehealthinc.org.
You must be logged in to post a comment.