When she first launched a food bank for MJD Wellness and Community, Emmanuella Fleurimont recalls taking rations from her family’s own fridge to give to others in need.
“When someone calls you and says, ‘I don’t have anything, how am I going to eat?’” she said. “The only thing that comes into your mind is, ‘I’m gonna go get it.’”
About MJD Wellness and Community Center
MJD Wellness and Community Center, founded by Fleurimont, is a non-profit organization on a mission to provide care, medication and food to the underserved population in their North Miami community. The wellness and community center comprises a food bank and a clinic for healthcare screenings. Their offerings include a nutrition program, mental health services, medication management and HIV testing. To stock up, they stage monthly food drives, and most of the services they provide are low-cost or free.
Fleurimont, born and raised in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, has always been invested in the betterment of others, so a career in wellness and community service made sense.Even as a teen, she was involved in youth-oriented community work.
Response to Community Need
After medical school in the islands, she moved to the United States in 2010 to continue studies in psychology. A juice bar was her extracurricular side hustle, but it offered the opportunity to make friends and hone her skills as a wellness advisor. With the support of former North Miami Councilman (and current mayor) Philippe Bien-Aime, she created a health fair that had an overwhelming response: more than 800 people showed up to the event. Realizing so many were in need, Fleurimont founded MJD Wellness and Community Center, and she has stuck to her vision with singular focus.
“I can only see where I’m going, because that’s my mission,” she said.
For more information or to find events visit mjdwellness.org. | Instagram @mjdwellness
