Volunteer Spotlight: Jolie Nguyen
Jolie Nguyen is an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer serving with the Orange County Coalition for Addressing and Reducing Substance Use (OC-CARES). For Jolie, stepping outside of her comfort zone has become an important part of her AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer experience. Since beginning her service with OC-CARES Coalition in March, she has taken on the challenge of building a steering committee of food bank leaders across Orange County to explore the connection between Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) and substance use disorder prevention in clinical settings. To bring the project to life, she created a detailed list of food banks throughout the county and committed to meeting with organizations in person. That decision pushed her well beyond her comfort zone. Unsure of how to formally request a meeting with OC Food Bank leader Mark Lowry, she decided to simply show up, introduce herself, and see where the conversation led. Her approach paid off. Lowry generously spent more than 45 minutes discussing food insecurity in the community, the goals of Jolie's VISTA service, and connecting her with additional leaders who could support the work.
She had a similar experience with Michael Tijerino at the Cantlay Food Distribution Center, part of Catholic Charities. Despite her nerves, she shared the vision for the steering committee and explored opportunities for collaboration. "I was nervous the entire time," she stated, admitting that she questioned if she was qualified enough to approach established leaders and worried that she might be turned away. During a quarterly one-on-one, she stated VISTA lead Sparrow, encouraged her to recognize the value of the work and provided resources that helped her move forward with greater confidence.
That willingness to be uncomfortable has already created meaningful results. Through referrals and outreach, she invited leaders from organizations including OC Food Bank, OC Hunger Alliance, the UC Irvine Basic Needs Center, 211 United Way, and the Eisenhower Food Insecurity Program and Mobile Clinic to join the effort, and each accepted! The group's first 45-minute steering committee meeting will focus on identifying existing interventions, learning more about each organization's area of expertise, and building connections that can continue as the food security landscapes evolve. The long-term goal of her VISTA service is to help develop a hospital-based intervention that connects patients with substance use disorder to food resources following release.
Jolie states that her experience has been a reminder that meaningful community change often begins with simply being willing to knock on the door. She is grateful for the leaders and organizations who have welcomed her into the conversation and proud that she pushed through her own self-doubt to help bring the steering committee together. Her experience is a powerful example of how stepping outside of your comfort zone can create opportunities for collaboration and a lasting impact.
