By: Mandy Hancock, Courier Program Coordinator

The Courier Program has officially wrapped up another successful summer! I can say these amazing young men and women left an incredible impact on the communities in which they served. So what projects did the Couriers do this year? Here are a few!

• A community economic summit taking place in Hyden, KY on November 17, 2016

• Research on clinics in Kentucky who accept patients who do not vaccinate

• STI information booth for a homeless shelter

• Running a summer camp

• Planning a health fair

This summer, Couriers worked with a total of 13 different organizations to round out their Courier experience. In addition to completing service work, Couriers completed comprehensive community health profiles of their respective areas to learn more about the complexities and health problems facing these counties. Through their service, Couriers learn more about rural health and communities, while assisting these organizations and clinics with special projects.  

In their own words: Hear from the Couriers themselves about the impact of their experience.

“My knowledge of healthcare as a whole in rural and underserved populations has grown exponentially. I learned so much about the struggles that people face day to day in a rural environment with little resources.”

“Through this internship I learned that quality health care does not start when a patient walks into the practitioner's office. Instead, quality health care has everything to do with the daily living and the daily health challenges of local residents who see local practitioners.”

“I will absolutely recommend the courier program, along with Frontier Nursing University, to friends and family. It was very well organized and fills me with a proud spirit, that people are here in the world doing good things and inspiring others to give back. The world needs to know Appalachia better... I gained so much and I think it'll influence the rest of my career in healthcare…”

“I learned that a passion for service and love for fellow people is the common thread among the healthcare providers and other employees I worked with; in these communities, no matter what significant challenges come up, they are always faced with fierce love and creative solutions. I learned so much! It is hard to encapsulate it all.”

Learn more about the 2016 Couriers:

Meet our 2016 Couriers (Part 1 of 2)

Meet our 2016 Couriers (Part 2 of 2)

View this graphic to learn more about the Courier Program 2014-2016.

Learn more about the Courier Program and how Mary Breckinridge’s legacy continues today: