Underserved Experience

In The Other Wes Moore, both Wes and the author, Moore, faced challenges because of things such as poverty, housing, and education. In terms of Wes, he had it much worse. In the first chapter of the book, when Wes is talking about his father, he says, “By Saturday afternoon we found out that he had died from acute epiglottis, a rare but treatable virus that causes the epiglottis to swell and cover the air passages to the lungs. Untreated because of the earlier misdiagnosis, my father’s body suffocated itself” (Moore 15). This is the first big event that occurred in Wes’s life that definitely influenced the person he turned into.

I have come to realize that diversity allows students to polish one another, leading to the depolarization of students and thus more rounded individuals. I have traveled a rather non-traditional path, and feel strongly that I can benefit others and feel just as strongly that I can benefit from them. The challenges I have faced, the community where I grew up, and my work experience all contribute to my individuality.

What experiences have you had or activities have you participated in that have prepared you to work with underserved populations?

Thesis Statement: The Houston Food Bank uses the efforts of volunteers as well as donations to support the reduction of hunger in the community.

Considering the following statistics, it is clear why Hunger Free Colorado’s work is so important: Nearly 1 in 7 Coloradans struggled with hunger in 2013, facing times when there was not enough money to buy food for their families or themselves (Colman-Jenson, Gregory, & Singh, 2013). More than 1 in 5 Colorado households with children (22%) reported food hardship, facing financial challenges to put food on the table (Food Research and Action Center, 2013). More than 1 in 8 Coloradans lived in poverty, including 1 in 6 kids, during 2013 (Bishaw & Fontenot, 2014).

This case study is based on the Metrolina Health Center, which was started by Dr. Charles Warren. Williams and several medical colleagues with a $25,000 grant typically from the Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Williams is the first African American to have services on this category of staff; Charlotte’s Memorial Hospital, which is undoubtedly the Charlotte’s largest hospital. The main concern of Dr. Williams is the health care needs of poor people in the area. He had always focused on making the word a better place, especially for the people who feel less fortunate. The doctor also went ahead with enlisting the aid of a local dentist, Dr. John murphy among other professionals including the director of the Sickle

In my community many people do not understand the struggles of kids with serious illnesses and the financial and mental toll it has in the parents. To have more understanding of the problem I encourage people to volunteer at hospitals to gain more knowledge about the problem.

For many individuals in our Vietnamese community whom grew up in Vietnam, they know what it is like to go hungry for several days due to being unable to buy food. In order to find a better lifestyle for their families, they immigrated to the United States. However, for many families in America, the feeling of hunger is becoming a common occurrence due to being food-insecure. The definition of food insecurity according to the American Institute of Nutrition is “the state of being unable to get reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food”. The holidays are supposed to be a time to celebrate, and to share a meal with others. But for a number of families, they’re met with a familiar feeling of hunger. This may cause them to suffer emotionally from being unable to feast at the holidays. Those that are not living on the edge of poverty will not understand how much financial pressure is put on vulnerable families as they relied on schools to provide free meals to their children. The Food & Nutrition Service (FNS) runs a program that covers a portion of low-income children with meals over their summer; there isn’t a national program that covers the holiday break. This puts additional stress on low-income families, as they have to find ways to provide food, along with getting their children cared for. Food insecurity

One of the most vulnerable populations frequently encountered by everyday individuals are the mentally ill. Mental illness is not a condition that manifests physically, but can cause a person to change their physical appearance due to specific behaviors. It is not uncommon for a large number of the homeless population to possess one kind of mental illness that contributed to their housing condition. This population may partake in at risk behavior, jeopardizing their long-term health, and reducing their life expectancy. The mentally ill are an underserved population that can be hard to reach, physically and mentally. Their illness comes with shame due to the stigma attached to the illness and due to the lack of education. Nurses are now trying

The Family Nurse Practitioner or (FNP) encompasses many areas of practice from clinic to acute care. Many FNPs choose to specialize in clinical areas based on expertise and experience. Other FNPs may choose to practice within a certain population or area based off of scope of practice and degree of independence. As an FNP, I choose to focus my expertise to serve the underserved populations in Colorado, which could be in an outpatient, clinic or acute care setting.

This textual evidence was then followed by a statement by many interviewed volunteers. These volunteers felt that their work at the soup kitchen was the only thing they participated in that made them feel as though they were doing a good deed. Seeing as how Americans have no concern for the amount of food they waste, and seeing as how Americans rely on the constant need of food as some sort of confidence boost goes to show the reader that there is no actual cure for hunger – because no one truly cares enough to find one.

Volunteering at a local soup kitchen has become an important activity that humbles me, having witnessed the difficulties this population faces. The Christian Medical Association Homeless Meals Program at Wayne State University School of Medicine will allow me to continue this type of community outreach.

Have you ever wondered where you would rest your head at night? Where you would find your next meal? How would support your family given unforeseen sudden circumstances? I’ve never thought about the importance of these questions until a recent experience I had volunteering at a food pantry. There are organizations whose main purpose is to help those in need and provide resources to members of the community who are going through difficult times. A food pantry is a non-profit community serviced organization that provides members of the community with groceries and resources. From volunteering at this food pantry I learned more than ever to never “judge a book, by its cover”, or in other words, even though I person may look well put together on the outside, you never know what it is they are dealing with on the inside. I’ve encountered homeless members of the community, people who have suffered from physical abuse, and people who have experienced unexpected disasters such as house fires to expected job layoffs while volunteering at a food pantry. I’ve also come to appreciate everything that I have in my life from the roof over my head to the food in my stomach and that some people are less fortunate than me.

The “Community Resource Sheet” is list of organizations that may or may not provide you with the medical services that a client needs. Some of these organizations provide their services free of charge, where as others charge based on the individual’s ability to pay, (i.e., based on an individual’s income). But these philanthropic measures have not improved the plight of the “working poor,” retirees, nor those left homeless by the recession, minimum wage jobs that do not offer health insurance, or a living wage, illnesses, on the job injuries, accidents, or marital separation and divorce. These are just a few reasons people find themselves in dire straits medically, and financially.

In 2014, a foundation called Feeding America did a survey on the people they serve and found that in order to stretch their food budgets 79% of them purchase inexpensive and unhealthy food in order to stay fed. This can seriously impact their health, because no matter the age, healthy bodies and minds require nutritious meals. In some cases, food insecurity can even lead to Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity. These are just a few examples of why food insecurity is so harmful. Fortunately, there are many organizations, clubs, and foundations that are committed to ending hunger in America, and eventually the world. The first step to solving this problem is spreading information, and realizing just how dangerous food insecurity is, and who it affects. After learning these things, you may want to help and there are many ways to do that. I’m sure in the past, you've donated food to the annual canned food drive our school puts on, and that’s just one way you can contribute to solving this problem. There are many organizations that ask for donations and will put your money to great use, for example every dollar you donate to Feeding America will provide 11 meals for a child in need.If you don’t have food or money to donate, you can donate