By Monica Simmons
Communications Coordinator
The first time Nancy Lozoria walked into People’s Community Clinic she was 15, pregnant, and without secure housing.
“The reason why my husband and I kept coming back to People’s was because they never made us feel like young, dumb teenagers,” said Lozoria. “They gave us relevant information about birth control and pregnancy, but we always knew the choice was ours.”
After suffering two miscarriages, Lozoria was comforted to learn from Health Educators that many women experience multiple miscarriages before having a viable pregnancy. At 18, she decided to take hormonal birth control to avoid pregnancy until she graduated from high school, and until she and her husband could afford their own place.
People’s helped Lozoria get up to date with her immunizations so that she could return to high school. Financial counselors worked with them to connect them with support services. Social workers counseled Lozoria and husband Hondo through the uncertain period of time when both their families had kicked them out of their respective homes.
Seeing so many sides of the organization, Lozoria said to herself, “one day I’d like to be one of the people helping. One day, I’d like work here.” Little did she know exactly how her dream would come true.
Eventually, Lozoria did have her much-hoped-for baby, daughter Araceli. A new chapter in her life began as she asked herself the big question: “what kind of life do I want my kids to have?” That’s when she decided to quit working retail jobs and start her career as a Dental Lab Technician. She went to school and was hired for her first job at a private dental practice. Then Lozoria landed at St. David’s program, where she was the Dental Assistant on a van dubbed “T4.”
Fast-forward to 2018, when St. David’s Foundation donated the same fully equipped van to help People’s jumpstart its dental program. Lozoria was hired to bring the program to life, fulfilling her wish to give back to the organization that helped her through her tumultuous teen years.
Responsible for getting People’s Dental Department running, she worked carefully with the People’s operations team to design the program, oversaw the installation of the van where patients receive care, and helped find a dentist who was “just the right fit” for People’s. Lozoria also coordinated the special design of the van wrap, which now stands out in the Camino La Costa parking lot. Lozoria made sure that the tag “T4” painted near the door of the van remained visible, a token to remember how new beginnings are always possible.
“We try our best to show patients that they are in control of what goes into their mouth,” Lozoria said with a laugh. “Just like any other department at People’s, we’re all about empowering the patient with options.”
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This year is BIG for People’s Community Clinic. In 2020 People’s marks 50 years of providing affordable, accessible health care to Central Texans in need. That’s 50 years of serving Central Texas communities with dignity and respect; 50 years of collaborating with other area non-profits for integrative care; 50 years of working for #healthequity and #affordablecare in Central Texas. Keep making stories like Fred’s possible with a donation to People’s.