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Position Title: Advocate for People Experiencing Homelessness 

Why did you join NHC Pittsburgh? 

I knew I wanted to give back to the city where I have lived and learned for the last 4 years. I am also planning to get my Masters of Public Health and pursue a career in the public health realm. I decided to take a gap year between undergrad and grad school to learn more about the field and develop skills working with vulnerable populations. I found NHC Pittsburgh while searching for opportunities to do that. NHC’s mission and program perfectly fit the bill for my values and goals!  

What do you hope to gain or learn during your service term? 

I hope to learn about the major barriers to care that exist in our current health care system. I also hope to gain new skills working with the public, for example, how to approach people when trying to help them solve a problem, how to build trust, etc. I also want to experience how public health workers fit into the overall system of healthcare, so I can better understand what my future career may look like. 

What are you most looking forward to during your service term? 

I am looking forward to meeting new people and integrating into the community of super awesome and dedicated people at my host site. I’m specifically excited to organize events at the Second Avenue Commons engagement center and getting to be creative in that way. 

What is something you appreciate about serving in Pittsburgh/at your Host Site? 

 I really like how Second Avenue Commons exists within a huge network of organizations and people working together to address the challenge of homelessness. It means I get to travel all over the city to meet different people from different organizations. It also means I get a really broad sense of the landscape of social services in our city. 

What are your plans after your service as an AmeriCorps member? 

I will be getting my Master's in Public Health, focusing on epidemiology.