Leigh Hammond, RN, Community Health Educator at Novant Health
Education is powerful for healing. The start of a new year is a time when we think about new goals and creating healthy habits. In my various nursing roles throughout a 35-year career, I have seen the impact that poor health decisions can have on the trajectory of life. I’ve also been able to witness extraordinary courage and eagerness to improve health even when the hurdles to overcome its challenges were high. Health care can be confusing and intimidating, which makes connections in the community invaluable. I’ve found that one of the greatest joys of working as a health educator is giving someone the knowledge that can change their life. My current role with Novant Health involves many different groups of people in the community. It is my job to understand their interests and adapt the information to better serve different learning styles. When you work in the community it is important to meet people where they are and be empathetic to their situation and environment. The Novant partnership with Samaritan Ministries provides the homeless population with a means to improve their future. Samaritan Ministries helps to provide the basic needs of food and shelter while also providing the resources and tools necessary for healing and sustained success. Ultimately, the goal is to empower their guests to lead a healthier lifestyle of independence and contribution in the community.
Personal reflections. My first experience with Samaritan Ministries was volunteering with a church group. One of our group members had been a resident there in the past, and this inspired us to get involved. What surprised me was the diversity of people that the shelter housed. Some looked like college kids, and then some like grandparents or others you’d meet at a family reunion. The experience changed my preconceived ideas of what “homelessness” looked like. I thought to myself, this could be my son or my dad. Every time that I engage with guests at Samaritan Ministries I’ve been surprised and excited about the complexity of questions that the men have during our education classes. They share personal experiences that bring the things we talk about to life. I usually learn something from them too! In discussing “Eating healthy on a budget,” I almost decided to leave out information regarding spices. However, we talked more about spices more than anything else! It was a great segway into discussion on salt intake and how this can increase blood pressure. The conversation even inspired one of the guests to go to cooking school.
Community and Empowerment. Health equity takes a village. It takes many hands along the way to help someone to thrive. That’s why it’s important to remember that each interaction, word of encouragement, or resource provided plants a seed for a better future. I am convinced that our community health workers and social workers are angels in disguise! They help others light the path when it’s hard to see. This light could be finding transportation, providing emergency medication, locating a food bank, or connecting someone to valuable resources that meet an urgent need. Volunteers are another valuable resource who share their time and efforts to serve others in the community. They are vital to helping organizations like Samaritan Ministries keep folks healthy and thriving. Serving the community helps us to understand what it means to be human and what it means to be humane. Every connection is an opportunity to make a difference.