This Hispanic Heritage Month, we’ll be recognizing the contributions of Hispanic members of our team to the health of the communities we serve and listening as they share how they celebrate their culture.

Today, we highlight Rhina Nunez, LPN! Rhina is the Charge Nurse at NHFHS’ Greer office.

What are your favorite Hispanic cultural traditions?

My favorite tradition is listening to music and dancing. Christmas is also one of my favorite Dominican traditions. Misa de Gallo is my favorite Christmas tradition to celebrate with my family and friends. It is the name of the mass that takes place at church at midnight on Christmas Eve.

What does your Hispanic heritage mean to you?

As a Dominican, my heritage means structure, religion and family. As a heritage we are welcoming people with a spirit of happiness and a great sense of humor. My heritage also means sharing and helping those who are in need.

What do you enjoy most about your role at NHFHS?

I enjoy that I am able to provide hands on care to a diverse population here at NHFHS. Being able to build positive relationships with patients has been rewarding. I am the type of person who thrives with new and exciting challenges. NHFHS is where I feel most comfortable facing the challenges that I may encounter throughout the day. It has been an amazing opportunity to honor my heritage by helping those who are in need.

In today’s Hispanic Heritage Month Highlight, we recognize Yury Giraldo, RN!  Yury is a Nurse Patient Care Coordinator/Educator at NHFHS’ Travelers Rest office.

What are your favorite Hispanic cultural traditions?

My favorite tradition is being able to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. We enjoy getting together to make Natilla and buñuelos on the weekends.

What does your Hispanic heritage mean to you?

Spanish heritage means to me family and my roots, delicious food, and my beautiful people.

What do you enjoy most about your role at NHFHS?

I enjoy being able to advocate for my patients. I enjoy that I have the opportunity to make a difference in people’s wellness. I love being able to advocate for my patients and having them tell me what my kindness and help meant to them.

New Horizon Family Health Services (NHFHS) is pleased to welcome the following providers to our team!

Jose Manchego, FNP has joined our team as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Mr. Manchego earned a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization in Family Nurse Practitioner from South University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida International University.

Morgan Simmons, PA has joined NHFHS as a Physician Assistant. Ms. Simmons received a Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Wake Forest School of Medicine. She also holds a Master of Arts in Management from Wake Forest University School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Elon University.

Hanna Brummitt, PA has joined our team as a Physician Assistant. Ms. Brummitt earned a Master of Science from Baylor College of Medicine in Physician Assistant Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Spanish and International Health from Clemson University.

Dawn Salveson, LISW-CP has joined NHFHS as a Clinical Counselor. Ms. Salveson earned a Master in Social Work from Aurora University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from John Brown University. NHFHS offers behavioral health services to patients as part of our integrated approach to care. To make an appointment with a Clinical Counselor, please ask your NHFHS primary care provider for a referral.

Women experiencing homelessness in the Upstate who are too sick to stay in a regular shelter but not sick enough to be in a hospital will now have a safe place to rest, recover and receive medical support.

In 2019, New Horizon Family Health Services (NHFHS) and Miracle Hill Ministries partnered to open South Carolina’s first-ever in-shelter Medical Respite Care Program inside the Greenville Rescue Mission, an emergency shelter for men. Over 30 individuals have participated in the program which offers six medical respite beds.

NHFHS and Miracle Hill Ministries have expanded their partnership to launch a Medical Respite Care Program at Miracle Hill Ministries’ Shepherd’s Gate, a safe shelter for women and mothers with young children who are experiencing homelessness. The program offers four medical respite beds for women experiencing homelessness who are identified as needing transitional medical support. NHFHS will provide clinical and other professional staff and oversight.

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with Miracle Hill Ministries to further serve some of the most vulnerable in our community. Women experiencing homelessness deserve a safe place to receive medical attention and continue their recovery when they no longer require hospitalization,” said Regina M. Mitchell, New Horizon Family Health Services President and Chief Executive Officer.

Ryan Duerk, Miracle Hill’s CEO states: “We recognize the value of partnering with other organizations to better serve the needy and hurting people in our community. As a ministry we envision the Upstate of South Carolina to have sufficient resources and services that are Christ centered and accessible for all who are experiencing homelessness. Opening this new respite care unit brings us closer to this goal.”

In 2021, NHFHS was awarded $255,400 by the CDC Foundation (CDCF), in partnership with the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC), for expansion of NHFHS’ Medical Respite Care Program. The funds are part of $1.6 million in grants awarded to nine existing and emerging medical respite programs across the country.

NHFHS’ Health Care for the Homeless Program works closely with Upstate homeless shelters and other health and human service organizations to serve over 2,600 patients in 13 counties using a 35-foot mobile medical unit at strategic collaborative partner agency locations. Services include primary care, dental services, mental health and substance abuse services and access to prescription medications. People experiencing homelessness may also receive services at NHFHS’ medical office locations in Greenville, Greer or Travelers Rest, as well as their dental office in downtown Greenville.

Please join us in welcoming the following providers to our medical team!

James “Jim” Beatty, PA-C has joined NHFHS as a Physician Assistant. Mr. Beatty received his Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Biology from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL and his Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Paul Catalana, MD has joined our organization as a Pediatrician. Dr. Catalana received a Doctor of Medicine from SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine and also holds a Master’s of Public Health in Maternal-Child Health and Health Services Administration.

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month! Each week, we’ll be recognizing the contributions of Hispanic members of our team to the health of the communities we serve and listening as they share how they celebrate their culture.

Today, we are highlighting sisters Sandra and Solangie! Sandra is the Practice Manager of NHFHS’ Travelers Rest office and Solangie is a Clinical Support Specialist at our Mallard site.

What does your Hispanic heritage mean to you?

Our Hispanic heritage means cleaning house on Saturday morning to salsa music, eating mom’s homemade frijoles and chicharrón, speaking Spanglish and knowing that we will always call two countries home. It means that we take pride in who we are, love our family and are grateful for what we have and where we are.

What are your favorite Hispanic cultural traditions? 

All of December including the Day of the Candles on December 8 and opening our Christmas gifts at midnight on Christmas Eve. For New Year’s Eve, we have many traditions — one of the best is eating twelve grapes, one for each month of the upcoming year. As you eat a grape, you make a wish for that month!

What do you enjoy most about your role at NHFHS?

Both Sandra and Solangie agree that providing patient-centered care is what they enjoy most about working at NHFHS. “Being able to make a difference through interaction with patients is an important part of my day,” says Sandra. Solangie adds, “I like speaking to patients on the phone and knowing that I was able to help them.”

Today, we are highlighting Laura Cabanas! Laura is a Dental Assistant at New Horizon Family Dental Care.

What does your Hispanic heritage mean to you?

My Hispanic heritage means everything to me. It just reminds me of my roots and where I come from. It makes me feel proud to be part of a beautiful community and an amazing background.

What are your favorite Hispanic cultural traditions? 

My favorite traditions are Las Posadas and Dia de los Muertos. Las Posadas starts at dusk on December 16 and is celebrated the nine nights leading up to Christmas Day. Dia de los Muertos is held in November and is a day of celebration to remember friends and family members who have passed away.

What do you enjoy most about your role at New Horizon Family Dental Care?

I most enjoy being able to help patients. I know that a lot of people are terrified of going to the dentist so being one of the first people they see or meet once they come to the clinical side of the office is a very important role. I get to reassure them that everything is going to be alright.

Today we are highlighting Mr. Francisco Rojo, FNP! Mr. Rojo is a provider in our Greer office.

What does your Hispanic heritage mean to you?

Spanish heritage to me means family, good food, remembrance of the old times, taking care of each other and coming back to the roots.

What are your favorite Hispanic cultural traditions?

Before Christmas, we have the pesebre, the manger, that we build at home and then we celebrate novenas, where we celebrate a little something every day in the nine days leading up to the birth of baby Jesus on December 24^th. Every day we sing songs and read a passage from the Bible.

What do you enjoy most about your role at NHFHS?

My favorite thing about being a provider here is interacting with people of all ages, sharing their stories and learning about them not just from the health perspective, but learning about who they are and what they do and their struggles.  I really go far and beyond helping with health issues, at times we usually just talk and share things, that’s the beautiful part of this thing called “health care provider.”