Brenda Gets Dentures
Brenda Gill is one of those people who smiles at you as you wave through security at the Pittsburgh City Council Building everyday, no matter how she is doing. Her smile is beautiful but is missing something important because she cannot afford it-- teeth.
I am fundraising $2,400 for Brenda to get dentures. I will match any donation of $100 or higher.
Meet Brenda
A native of Pittsburgh, Brenda grew up on the North Side. She has spent the last 6 and a half years working at the City Council Building as a security guard from 12pm to 8pm. 6 years ago, Brenda lost her husband, Jeffrey, to pancreatic cancer. A strong willed man, Jeffrey never told her about his prognosis until it was too late. When it came time to bury him, Brenda was unable to find sufficient funds for a burial and ended up having him cremated. She misses him everyday.
Brenda lost all of her teeth two years ago. Over time, the eight teeth she had left were getting loose and were falling out one after another. At that point, she walked over to a free clinic here in Pittsburgh and had them all pulled. Her gums weren't strong enough to have a partial. "I love wearing a mask because...I don't have any teeth!", she told me the other day.
But that hasn't slowed her down on eating her favorite food -- seafood! She loves all types. But the first thing she is going to eat when she gets her dentures are peanuts. "I want peanuts so bad I don't know what to do! That's the first thing I'm going to eat."
Funding FAQs
Brenda has had consultations already with several dentists. Unfortunately she does not have the money to pay $2,400 for dentures and medicaid doesn't kick in until 65. She is 63. Once we reach our goal, I will either direct deposit the money into her bank account or potentially go through her union representative to pay for the dentures. You can expect a follow up picture with a bright shiny smile :)
In closing
Brenda has been consistently kind to me and everyone who walks through the city doors. She did not ask me to do this but she did grant me permission to start a GoFundMe, share her story with you, and her picture.
Please, help me help Brenda get dentures so that she can eat some peanuts :)