AmeriCorps Service Site: Erie Family Health Center
This year I served as the Oral Health Educator for Erie
Family Health Center. Erie is a
community based healthcare clinic that serves low-income residents of Chicago.
Most are under-insured or not insured, and the demographics of our patients are
80% Hispanic, 10% Black, and 10% other.
As a health educator my main role was to go out into community centers,
schools, and Head Start programs to present on the importance of good oral
health. Because of this outreach, I have
driven all over the city of Chicago.
This has given me a very diverse perspective of the city. I have worked with classes of 15 and classes
of 45. I have seen kids with mouths full
of silver teeth and parents that have not been to the dentist in five years. I think that I have a much more holistic view
of the neighborhoods and people of Chicago now than I did last year.
Throughout my time I have been both inspired and
disheartened. I have only begun to
understand some of the deeper root causes of the poor oral health of so many
Chicago natives. Kids tell me over and
over again how they love soda pop, eat McDonald’s, and have a bag of hot chips
after school every day. The nutrition
messages I am sending sometimes seem completely lost on these kids because
their parents are not reinforcing good behaviors. I am also disheartened as I talk with parents
and realize that important oral health messages are sometimes completely
foreign. So, I am helping a few parents
learn more, but I am just one small person.
There are so many more parents who do not attend parenting meetings and
will continue to buy McDonald’s weekly.
Or, maybe this is all they can seem to have time for or afford, despite
what they might want. Many people also lack
dental coverage. There are so many reasons behind the poor oral health of many
Chicago families.
I am inspired, however, by the parents that I work
with. They ask important questions and
tell me that they have learned so much.
I am inspired as the kids I teach begin to answer my nutrition questions
correctly, and give me huge smiles and hugs as I leave. Lastly, this year has inspired me to continue
my work to improve the health of others.
Next year I am going to begin medical school, and I hope to continue
working in the neighborhoods that are most in need of medical care. Because of my time as an AmeriCorps member
with Amate House, I will continue a life of service.

