Jenesha Nance is an MPH student at the University of South Carolina who served as a Region IV PHTC Pathways to Practice Scholar in the summer of 2019. She worked for SC Thrive, a nonprofit committed to leading South Carolinians to stability by providing innovative and efficient access to quality of life resources.
At SC Thrive, she facilitated benefits trainings, attended outreach events, and supported numerous nonprofits’ partnerships with SC Thrive. She also conducted a needs assessment to help organizations better utilize SC Thrive’s resources, including ThriveHub, a new tool that expedites the government benefit application process and helps connect SC Thrive partner organizations.
Jenesha had the opportunity to work with a wide range of clients, from seniors to schoolchildren. The population she worked with was primarily rural, and issues with transportation, high rent costs, and low income were common. Jenesha explains, “My time with SC Thrive was an eye-opening experience. I learned about real issues those in poverty have. Financial and physical health tie hand in hand. Once a person has all the basic needs such as food, water, shelter and healthcare, they can focus more on building a career, having healthy families, and increasing financial resources.”
“One of the most important skills I gained from my field placement was empathy,” she reflects. “I experienced how those who live in poverty scrape by each day and am grateful for all my privileges. I want to continue in nonprofit work and ensure every person has food, shelter, and healthcare. Then, I can begin to assist people in breaking the cycle of poverty.”
Jenesha is currently completing her last semester at the USC. When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, she began volunteering with Mutual Aid Midlands to help people access food, housing assistance and utility assistance. She is currently working on a back to school electronics drive to help children access technology like computers and headphones.