Arrianna - "Creating to Connect"
Story brought to you in partnership with our friends at Mercy’s MSU Care Clinic
Photo by Randy Bacon
My background is in inventing products and keeping them 100% made in America. I used to travel the country doing trade shows. Ten years ago on December 3rd, I had my first ever national media coverage on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer and David Mirror. I have a potential ten year follow up. I want it to be focused on what I used to do but also everything I have learned over the last ten years and implementing it for the betterment of the community I live in. That’s part of my story.
Then, my brother passed away. He was killed in a car accident December 15th, 2020. There is no book on how to grieve the loss of your brother. Every situation is different. I decided I wanted to start a community garden in his honor. Also, when he died, I had stopped making money because I have been trying to care for his two kids that were left behind, trying to be there for my family, as well as work on the community garden project in honor of him. I have ADHD and am dyslexic. I grew up in special education classes and I understand how important health care is. I had lost over 30 pounds and was having a conversation with a friend saying, “Something’s off with my body. I need to go get some help.” That’s when I found out about MSU Care. I wanted to partner with them to provide produce because that’s something they offer to their patients.
Photo by Randy Bacon
Also, since my brother passed away, I’ve lost two team members. People that were literally helping me build the community garden from the ground up. One was a 16-year-old girl by the name of Victoria Jones. She should still be alive. My goal in all of this is to honor those three; Slade Russel (my brother), Colleen Robinson, and Victoria Jones, because each of them made a huge impact on my life. I feel like life has literally been one thing after another and I’ve been so frustrated. If you hold in your anger until it boils over, that is when we make bad decisions. If you mentally and physically get your body aligned with the earth then you'll be better. That is what I have learned to do with help. Because of the way my brain works, it’s been so helpful to be able to talk through these things with my therapist and grief counselor. As a patient of MSU Care, they don’t just say to you, “Here are a bunch of medications, good luck.” Last week I had an allergic reaction to a medication because everybody is different. I don’t know where I would be without that help. I have been behind the scenes as a patient and have seen how many people actually need fresh produce and how it connects with your health. I am working with the Drew Lewis Foundation, Passion House Project, which is a nonprofit that I am the President of, as well as the Ozark Community Garden that I started to create a process for food. I am working to buy 80 acres to grow food and help feed people just like me in our community in a way that has not been done. I would say this is how I have taken what I have learned about my own body and what I need. Long term goals for me are the Ozark Community Garden as well as Hope Connect. That’s a website I am creating to really help connect the entire community, not just with resources but with options on how to volunteer, how to donate your time or your money, and what services are really available because everyone’s needs are different. Nobody can do it by themselves. It's kind of crazy how the world works and how the pieces really do seem to fall into place.
“For many in our community, routine doctor visits and prescription medications are far too expensive to access. Every day, people are forced to choose between food and medication or delay treatment for health issues until they are life threatening due to an inability to pay. MSU and Mercy partnered together to break the cycle of poor health and offer hope for the uninsured in our community. The only clinic of its kind in Missouri, the MSU Care Clinic offers uninsured patients top-quality primary care and prescription medications completely free of charge. We know every story—every person—has tremendous value. That is why at MSU Care, we are proud to give compassionate care and exceptional service at no charge to those in the greatest need.”
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