We are so excited to have a new intern in the Pantry! Solange Abatti, our new CCAC dietetic intern, is originally from Benin, Africa and is a native French speaker. She worked 12 years for Unicef in Benin advising women on birth control options.
When she came to America in 1998, it took her two years to learn English. Since then, she has worked many places including Children’s Center of Pittsburgh, Step By Step, Solange African Hair Braiding, Genesis HealthCare, and Passavant Memorial Homes. She works with people of all ages from babies to seniors, and with many people with disabilities. In May of 2016 she graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Science.
Solange is no stranger to food intolerance. As she began to learn about her own health problems attributed to diet, she decided she could pass this information on to other people. “While I was working with Passavant, most of the consumers were not on healthy diets. So I wanted to advocate to the staff and consumers how important it is to choose a more nutritious diet to improve their health,” she said.
She is mainly interested in the science behind food and how she can use this science to choose appropriate food. Solange is currently working on her CDM (Certified Dietary Manager) Certification and her Registered Dietetic Technician License. She wants to try and help other people understand and choose the right foods for them.
Solange will be helping our clients understand the value of eating healthy and appropriate foods, finding healthy recipes, and conducting some health screenings. The Pantry is committed to providing the healthiest food possible, so we look forward to Solange’s contribution to our effort!