By Sherry Harbert | Communications Director
When Nadia was a young girl in Belarus, she learned how food played a role in the health of her family. As much as her parents tried to provide the best for their children, Nadia’s family found it difficult to access healthy food. By the time her mother won a green card lottery to move to the U.S. more than ten years ago, Nadia joined her mother to discover that access to healthy food would be more of a path for her than she had ever realized.
Now studying community health at Portland State University (PSU), Nadia (pictured in center of the photo) is determined to give back to her new country in many ways. Besides volunteering for MIKE Program, Nadia spends her time outside the classroom volunteering with Sisters of the Road Café, the Oregon Food Bank and her church.
Even in her part-time job at a bistro inside PSU’s athletic center, Nadia offers her ideas for healthier options. She says its one way to help people live healthier lives.
Nadia applied to mentor with MIKE because the program offers a direct opportunity to motivate young people. She discovered how much she enjoyed working with young people while she mentored elementary students toward leadership skills at her church in Beaverton.
“I hope to bring a greater understanding of health issues to young people,” says Nadia. “I want them to see that they have the power to change their future.” She says she wants to be a role model for the youth. “I want them to know that they are not their circumstances. They can change their future.”
Nadia is not the only mentor who sees the importance of being a positive role model for youth. MIKE mentors overwhelmingly want to create a healthier future for young people. As Spring Semester 2017 gets underway this week, each mentor is hoping to provide a positive influence for the youth.
It is vital that these opportunities for MIKE’s mentors and youth continue. Without donors like you, MIKE would not be able to empower the number of mentors and youth with the skills and knowledge they need to showcase health. It’s a path we all share toward healthier lifestyles.
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