Mental Illness in Communities
Authors: Joshua Cooper Martin
Faculty Supervisor: Anelise Farris, Ph.D.
Community Partner: Blackshear Drug Company
Abstract:
My service-learning project was helping patients receive their medications without risking their health during the pandemic. I wanted to try and make a positive impact on the community while also encouraging each patient to stay hopeful during this challenging time. I worked as a delivery driver for Blackshear Drug Company and got exposed to some things I’ve never witnessed before. This experience has made me realize there are some people really struggling in life, and it has made me want to do even more to help everyone that I’m able to. It has impacted me because I know what I’m doing is taking a small burden off of them in their lives. It has helped me create meaningful relationships throughout the community that could come back to help me later in my life too. Another way this project has impacted me is the leadership skills I have learned throughout the process, such as being able to communicate effectively and the importance of punctuality in the workplace. Some of the service-learning outcomes in this course are developing skills in community leadership and global awareness. I believe that my project has helped me to learn the importance of both things through forming new relationships and getting a glimpse at the harsh reality of the world. Some of the things that I plan to do in the future is come back here during the summer and continue doing what I’ve been doing to try to make a longer lasting impact on this community.
