Growing up in Chicago gave me countless opportunities and ways to discover what I truly love to do, and like other AmeriCorps members I found that it is my passion to help others. When I see someone in need, I not only see it as an opportunity to help, but also as my responsibility to do so. To be more specific, the way I want to help others is through health. Health is more than the absence of disease as it also includes a person's physical, mental, and social well-being. With that in mind, I believe that one's well-being is essential to his or her quality of life and productivity in school or work. It gives me great joy to see people spend time with their family and friends and do the activities they love. I want to help people live life to the fullest. Since access to healthcare and health disparities are big issues in Chicago, I could not think of a better way to spend this year than to help address these challenges by serving with the Chicago Health Corps.
This year, one of the goals I set out to do is EMPOWER. I will empower people to take charge of their own health. I will empower people to make smart decisions whether it be to eat breakfast or to grab an apple for a snack instead of a bag of chips. This year I plan to empower through education on nutrition, oral health, and sexual health.
The second goal I hope to accomplish is to CONNECT. With so many resources out there, I strive to connect people to the resources they need. For example, at Erie Family Health Center, if a student needs a dental cleaning or a filling for a cavity, I encourage the student to sign up for an appointment with the dental van. I hope to connect to patients, students, my fellow AmeriCorps members and everyone else with whom I serve. I believe we can all learn something from one another to better ourselves and to make a brighter tomorrow.
This post was written by CHC member 
This year, one of the goals I set out to do is EMPOWER. I will empower people to take charge of their own health. I will empower people to make smart decisions whether it be to eat breakfast or to grab an apple for a snack instead of a bag of chips. This year I plan to empower through education on nutrition, oral health, and sexual health.