“Implausible!” is the response you obtain if you ask Rita Ullom how her day goes—even when that day was full of sudden, tense occurrences. Rita lives her life with optimism, compassion, and a coronary heart as huge as her prolonged household. Rita is a member of Alternative Worldwide’s Board of Governors; due to her power and advocacy, our purchasers are working their method out of poverty to reside with dignity and function.
Rita grew up in a big, busy family; her Lebanese grandmother cooked scrumptious meals and “stored the household in line;” she is known as after her aunt, a girl of power—as is her namesake. Like her dad and mom, Rita labored laborious and began within the building trade the place she loved a profitable profession and ultimately met her husband, Todd. Rita additionally makes time to pursue portray; her colourful, beneficiant paintings captures the spirit and coronary heart of her family and friends.
A number of years in the past, Rita turned licensed as a diabetes prevention specialist by means of Holy Cross Hospital. Rita’s pure power and enthusiasm, mixed together with her innate respect and willingness to “stroll in one other’s sneakers,” made her an distinctive coach for folks scuffling with managing a life-changing illness. She has coached greater than 25 cohorts of sufferers—in English and Spanish—as they study vitamin, health, and stress administration. Every cohort commits to a 12-month program; by the tip of the 12 months, most sufferers have misplaced weight, gotten off their medicines, and gained a brighter outlook on their lives.
Rita’s husband, Todd, had been a long-standing and beneficiant supporter of Alternative Worldwide. He launched Rita to the group; they attended a gathering hosted on the residence of one other Alternative donor the place they discovered about Alternative’s work in empowering ladies. Rita’s coronary heart and thoughts had been moved; since then, the Ulloms have been strolling with Alternative’s purchasers on our journey. This previous February, Todd and Rita hosted their very own Alternative gathering the place buddies discovered concerning the progressive methods Alternative is making a distinction within the lives of people that have been marginalized: “Alternative’s work is targeted on empowering ladies dwelling in poverty; actually, they empower us,” Rita famous.
We’re so lucky to rely Rita as a loyal member of the Alternative household.