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Help Bobby Smile - Braces Campaign

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Bobby Dukes joined our household from the suburbs of Atlanta in an attempt to further his employment opportunities and utilize public transit.  With no previous work experience his requirement was to develop a workable resume and apply for three jobs or more per day.  Almost immediately upon meeting Bobby it is apparent that he has difficulty articulating his words.  It is most apparent when he is on the phone or in a face to face interview situation as the other party will ask him to repeat himself several times throughout their conversation. 

Also upon arrival to Atlanta, Bobby sufferred from multiple visable cavities in his frontals, most related to the overcrowding and displaced upper and lower teeth structures which turn inwards towards his tongue.  Due to both of these conditions, Bobby would rarely smile.  Dental services were secured through the St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital here in Atlanta and within 30 day's Bobby had all of his cavities filled and teeth cleaned.  Proud of his improved condition he began to smile more openly with more confidence than before. 

However he still has an enormous challenge before him with his speech limitations.  To confirm that his speech difficulties were limited to the confinement of the tongue by the inward turning teeth, Bobby was reviewed by a retired speech pathologist.  Over the course of multiple visits she was able to assess that all of his speech difficulties were a result of his orthodontic challenges

Bobby's written skills are superior in sentence structure and word choice!  Yet, it is unfortunate that his communication limitations often make first encounters difficult as he is often dismissed early as possibly suffering from some learning disability.  Can you just imagine how frustrating this can be on a daily basis.  

Bobby has secured a job with the local non-profit, Lost-n-Found Youth Thrift store, as their primary delivery / pick up truck driver earning $8.00 per hour.  With his living expenses, transportation cost, his ability to save to secure braces seems an impossible life goal.  His future employment growth, personal development, and self confidence are all dependent upon this corrective, not cosmetic improvement.  He requires critical speech correction through orthodontics.         

Your generosity towards this goal will undoubtedly remove the communication barriers that Bobby currently experiences and will change his future opportunities.

Organizer

Louis Gary
Organizer
Decatur, GA

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