We had the good fortune of connecting with Pat T. Nixon, RN-BSN, MBA, CALM, CDP and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Pat, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I’m from Harvey, a south suburb of Chicago (shout out to Harvey World :)) It’s crazy because most would consider Harvey to be a “hood” yet I never felt like I grew up in the hood. Neither of my parents made it to high school yet my mother became a locomotive engineer and my father drove trucks all over the country. My upbringing wasn’t traditional yet it was a part of my process. My father had a hard battle with drugs making him often absent. My mother did the best she could. She taught me how to make and manage money, how to boss up… unfortunately she lacked in compassion, empathy and things of the heart. I struggled into my late teenage years geting involved with drugs, bad relationships, bad habits and ultimately even jail time. My mother, in opposition to my lifestyle, abandoned me “in the name of Jesus” (as she explains it). Looking back, I appreciate my process…. God had a plan for my life. I, like my parents, never graduated high school but now have a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s of Nursing. My upbringing brought me up. I learned to fight, to use each and every block as a step up and to NEVER GIVE UP. When you’re alone and make the decision to rise up, you make a committment that “no” is not an option. I truly believe that has been the catalyst to my progress.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We Are One Heart Foundation, Inc is a nonprofit organization formed to bridge the gap between needs and resources for seniors. We pride ourselves in building key relationships throughout the senior community in order to pull the pieces together for the many who are aging without a plan. We are super excited about our upcoming project, “Windsor House” which will provide housing and assistance for low income seniors. We are planning our opening for October 2020 and are looking forward to providing compassionate care in our home-like setting. Windsor House will be managed by current and retired healthcare clinicians and caregivers who have shown not only a skill set but also a passion for the elderly. Our belief is that everyone deserves to age with dignity regardless of financial ability.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If “Best Friend” was here for a week we would definitely crank it up… (let’s talk post COVID). Our thick girl energies always yeild food to be of the utmost importance so I think we’d swing by the Reunion Tower for some of Wolf Gang Puck’s cuisine (yes, Best Friend…. they have sushi.). Afterwards, we’d grab a Lime or Bird scooter from the streets of downtown and simply explore while making frequent stops for good drinks. The truth is, since moving to Texas in 2013, I haven’t taken much time to learn the DFW metroplex. To explore and learn the city would be an amazing adventure for me. Now for the rest of the week, I think we’d have to cop a cabin down near New Braunfels and get some river tubing and boat time in, time by the fire with a nice glass of wine to catch up in laughter and tears are the moments I value most.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First, I give all glory and gratitude to God. #EvenMeLord I’m grateful to my Mother for the strength that she’s forced me to find and to my Father for showing me unconditional love. The MVP’s my A-Team, Amerra – my 16 year old daughter and Amarrion- my 14 year old son. These two not only got me on track but inspire me, hold me accountable and support me daily. My closest friends & family members for believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself and for allowing me to be unapologetically me. My many mentors who never turn down a brain pick session and are always encouraging me to keep pushing. (Debora Nixon, Julia Kappel, Linda Gray, Dan Blackburn, Joi Anne Garrett, Cheryl Albert, and many others). The many volunteers and donors of We Are One Heart Foundation, Inc. Finally all the many people in the Senior Care Community who have been open to share knowledge and build networks. Each of us support each other’s success which ultimately leads to the best outcomes for our elderly population.

Website: www.wa1h.org
Instagram: weareoneheartfoundation
Linkedin: We Are One Heart Foundation, Inc
Twitter: @WeAreOneHeartF1
Facebook: We Are One Heart Foundation, Inc
Youtube: We Are One Heart Foundation, Inc
Other: Visit www.iNurseDelegate.com for clinical training and delegation services in small assisted living environments.

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