LCHC to honor pair at recognition breakfast

LYNN – The Lynn Community Health Center (LCHC) on Thursday, April 5 will be hosting the Women for Lynn Community Health Center Recognition Breakfast, which promotes the health and well-being of women and girls.LCHC will be honoring Jackie Jenkins-Scott, the president of Wheelock College of Boston, and Paula Short, the president of the Women?s Fund of Essex County.This is the first year the LCHC will host the recognition breakfast.?We really wanted to celebrate our programs for women and girls,” Cindy Steger-Wilson, LCHC?s marketing and communication manager, said. “We have many programs that support the well-being, medical and educational needs of women and girls.”The LCHC?s mission is to provide comprehensive high-quality health care to the greater Lynn community. Recently, they acquired a new building on Union Street to help expand their programs.?Many people walk into our new building and are surprised by how much we offer,” Steger-Wilson said. “We do so many things and are dedicated to giving great health care.”The event?s honorary chairs are Magnolia Contreras and Carol Noble.?They really have been the driving force behind all of this,” Steger-Wilson said.Steger-Wilson said everyone is welcome at the LCHC.?But we make it a point to serve the under-served and many times that is women, children and families,” she said.Contreras believes good health care for women and girls is vital to their success.?There are many organizations in the area that focus on empowering and strengthening women,” Contreras said. “We believe the basic foundation for that is good health. For all those programs to really take hold, girls need to be as healthy as possible and we want to contribute to that.”The breakfast will feature Jenkins-Scott and Short.?Both of those women have done such great things when it comes to improving health care for women,” Steger-Wilson said.Before Jenkins-Scott was the president of Wheelock College, she was the president of the Dimock Community Health Center in Roxbury.?She is an innovator when it comes to women?s access to good health care,” Contreras said. “She continues to work hard.”Short is the president of the Women?s Fund of Essex County, and is a passionate and energetic advocate for the health and well being of women, according to a press release from LCHC.?In her quiet way, she really supports organizations that promote mentoring and leadership of women. This is the type of work that nobody recognizes because they do it so quietly,” Contreras said.Attorney General Martha Coakley will also attend.?We are really excited to hear her speak,” Steger-Wilson said.The Women for Lynn Community Health Center Recognition Breakfast is scheduled for Thursday, April 5 at the Kernwood Country Club in Salem. Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m. Tickets are $75. RSVP by March 28.Sara Brown can be reached at [email protected].