Healthy Learners

Healthy Learners is a nonprofit in South Carolina that gets needy children to the doctor so that poor health is not an obstacle to doing well in school. It addresses poverty at its root, so that future generations can lift themselves, and their communities, to a better life.

Believing that children learn better when they are healthy, Providence Hospitals and a group of committed community citizens established Healthy Learners in 1992 to help alleviate health related barriers to learning that face economically disadvantaged children. Currently, five Healthy Learners programs serve 144 schools in ten school districts across South Carolina.

A ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System, Healthy Learners’ services include vision care, dental care, hearing evaluations, assistance with prescription medications, clinical counseling and episodic care for other health concerns. Throughout the years, thousands of children have received health care services statewide and thousands of miles have been traveled while transporting children to their health care appointments.

Healthy Learners’ program evaluation outcome measures have documented a significant number of children with health status improvement, increased self-esteem and improved ability to perform academically in school. Not only have Healthy Learners' children improved their academic performance, the immense health disparities that economically disadvantaged children face are narrowing.

Learn more at www.healthylearners.com.

Jo Pauling-Jones

Executive Director,
Healthy Learners

Jo Pauling Jones has been the executive director of Healthy Learners since 2005. Read More »