This month, EverThrive Illinois wants to celebrate our outreach workers! Our outreach workers are extremely important to our organization; they go into communities on the South and West sides and disseminate information and resources to those who need it. They also assist in collecting data that help us determine what communities need, which supports our effort to achieve health equity.
Recently, we connected with two of our outreach workers, Shernita Hosey and Faetrell Johnson. We wanted to share their perspective on being an outreach worker. This includes what motivated them to become an outreach worker and how they hope their work will impact the future.
“I wanted to become an outreach worker to help people like me,” Shernita wrote. She initially worked with Healthy Start and learned about EverThrive Illinois when she took a 6-week training that the organization hosted for Community Health Workers. Shernita is very proud of her work and believes in its impact. “The most rewarding thing about being an outreach worker is to help people and bring resources to the community and neighborhood. I hope in the future people take health care seriously and we can reduce infant mortality.”
Faetrell learned about EverThrive Illinois because his mother had been working for the organization. He wanted to become an outreach worker to find connections and resources that he didn’t know about or come across. Like Shernita, the most rewarding thing about this work is being able to touch people somehow. “When people smile, I smile, so knowing I make a difference in communities with my words and information is special to me.” As far as what Faetrell hopes for the future, is that “All health care becomes dirt cheap and free” after hearing that “most don’t have insurance or any coverage to cover the cost of most medications and medical treatments.”
We are so proud and grateful for the work that Shernita, Faetrell, and all our outreach workers do. Our organization would not be able to work towards our mission without them!