Jeannette Torres: Ex-client heading Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade

Eighteen years ago, Jeannette Torres, lost her baby after five months of pregnancy. “My husband and I were very young, we were healthy, we were both taking care of ourselves, I was very cautious about what I was eating and doing, and I was taking care of myself physically and emotionally,” she recalls. “I did everything that I was supposed to do, so we couldn’t understand why. To this date, I can’t understand why we lost him.” 

This devastating experience, as she describes it, was followed by finding out years later that she was pregnant and uninsured. “I was stressed, scared and I had this uncertainty of not knowing if I was going to have a healthy baby,” she said. 

Her story with the Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade, the organization she now leads, started with becoming a client and experiencing firsthand all the support and services the organization offers to mothers in need. 

“Having received that helping hand, that support, during that time was simply life-changing,” she said. “I do have to admit that this experience not only motivated me to become part of the Healthy Start Coalition but to be in a position that allows me to continue helping thousands of mothers ensure their babies have a healthy start in life.” 

With almost two decades working in child and family services, Ms. Torres held leadership roles at the organization and worked closely with the founding CEO and her mentor, Manuel Fermin, who passed away this year, who encouraged her to share her story. 

Ms. Torres is the author of the book Ser Mama: Como encontrar el balance… ¡sin perder la cabeza! In the title, she talks about trying to find that balance of being successful professionally and with her family. She also co-authored with her sister the book Married to Me: How Committing to Myself Led to Triumph After Divorce.

Ms. Torres spoke with Miami Today reporter Gabriela Henriquez Stoikow. 

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