Meet the SMSi ACA Licensed and Certified Agent Team
Here is the team of experienced Agent Ambassadors who are available at no cost to help you get health insurance now and to be your agent year round. All team members are fully licensed by the state and certified by the federal government to provide expert assistance.
Marketplace health insurance plan benefits
• All plans offered in the Marketplace cover these 10 essential health benefits:
• Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care you get without being admitted to a hospital)
• Emergency services
• Hospitalization (like surgery and overnight stays)
• Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care(both before and after birth) Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment (this includes counseling and psychotherapy) Prescription drugs
• Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices (services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills)
• Laboratory services
• Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
• Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits)
• Additional benefits
Plans must also include the following benefits:
• Birth control coverage
• Breastfeeding coverage
• Essential health benefits are minimum requirements for all Marketplace plans. Specific services covered in each broad benefit category can vary based on your state’s requirements. Plans may offer additional benefits, including:
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage
• Medical management programs (for specific needs like weight management, back pain, and diabetes)
Michael Harris
Michael Harris
Goodwill: Transforming Donations Into Lifelong Opportunities
Empowering individuals and communities through donations, training, and
More Than Just a Store
Local families know Goodwill as the place to find bargains on secondhand clothing, shoes, and household items that have been donated by the community. But what they may not know is that there’s a bigger story behind those Goodwill stores.
Turning Donations Into Opportunities
Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina transforms those donated items into training and career services that help people in our community find long-term employment and financial stability. Of every dollar earned through its retail stores, Goodwill puts 87 cents toward its mission and sustainability.
A Community-Centered Mission
As a nonprofit organization, Goodwill’s mission is to create opportunities for people to improve their lives through the power of work. Last year, Goodwill served more than 34,000 people throughout northwest North Carolina. Goodwill partners with other nonprofits as well as educational institutions like Forsyth Technical Community College and TransTech truck driving school to
ensure individuals have the resources they need as they search for jobs and start new careers.
Eboni’s
Journey: From Struggles to Success
One of those individuals is Eboni Lindsey, also known as Chef Cocoa. As a single mom seeking a better life for her two young daughters, Eboni relocated from New York to the Triad. Like many parents, Eboni struggled to find a job whose work hours matched up with her available childcare. She started selling food plates to earn extra money. Remembering how much she loved to cook, Eboni began to think about turning cooking into a career.
Support Beyond Training
She reached out to Goodwill and learned about the Providence Culinary Training program, a culinary course that Goodwill offers in partnership with Second Harvest FoodBank and Forsyth Tech. After touring the training facility, Eboni decided it was the ideal place for her to learn how a professional kitchen operates and acquire skills to run a catering service. Goodwill’s Outreach Scholarship Fund helped cover the cost
of her training.
A Business is Born
Almost halfway through, Eboni experienced childcare challenges. She turned to Goodwill again. Team members connected her with childcare funding offered through the Winston-Salem Foundation Childcare Grant. Eboni successfully completed her training, which included certifications in ServSafe, Mass Food Production, Catering Production, and Kitchen Safety Skills. After completing an internship, she found a job as a cook, but she had bigger plans for herself. Today, she is the proud owner/operator of COCOAZ FLAVORS, LLC, which caters corporate events, weddings, and other functions. Recently, she came full circle, catering a meeting of the Goodwill Business Advisory Council.
Career Centers: A Gateway to Opportunity
Goodwill provides most of its services through its Career Centers, including two locations in Forsyth County: the Forsyth County Career Center (2701 University Parkway) and the Goodwill Career Center/Prosperity Center (2760 Peters Creek Parkway). The Prosperity Center is a United Way collaborative with Goodwill and Financial Pathways of the Piedmont.
Supportive Services That Make a Difference
Goodwill helps people who are struggling to find work in several ways:
• One-on-one sessions with a Career Connections Specialist to write a resume, practice job interviews, and complete job applications;
• Computers to use for job searching and training;
• Training in in-demand job skills like trades and healthcare;
• Assistance with childcare, housing, and transportation;
career services.
• Free workshops on financial literacy, computer skills, and more;
• Hiring events with local employers.
Specialized Programs for Unique Needs
Goodwill also offers specialized programs for veterans, youth, people who’ve been incarcerated, and people with disabilities. The Access Center partnership with Forsyth Tech helps adults complete their high school educations. A wide range of programs for youth ages 13 to 24 provides tools for young people to reach their full academic and vocational potential.
Employment Services at No Cost Best of all, Goodwill’s employment services are free. Some training programs include a fee paid directly to the instructor, but those can often be covered by Goodwill’s Outreach Scholarship Fund. Goodwill can even cover the costs of clothing needed to start a new job, such as scrubs or kitchen-appropriate shoes.
The Power of Your Donations
That’s all possible thanks to people who donate their gently used clothing and household items to Goodwill and the people who shop there each day. Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina operates 51 retail and outlet stores, including nine in Forsyth County. The next time you pass by a Goodwill store, dig up a treasure in the Goodwill Outlet bins, or drop off a bag of clothing, remember – there’s a story behind every store.
Learn about Goodwill’s services and find your nearest store at www.goodwillnwnc.org.
Eboni Lindsey, also known as Chef Cocoa, and youngest daughter sits with a Goodwill representative to review supportive services for childcare.
Your donations fund career training and support services in your community.
The skillful storytelling and over 30 beautiful illustrations in this delightful new book transport you back in time to the humble beginnings of Dr Joe L Dudley Sr., aka Little Joe. Even as a child his life embodied the catchphrase, Tough Times Don’t Last, Tough People Do!
Ella C. Wilson graduated from NC A&T State Univ. with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Affectionately known as “Ms. Ella”, she was Dr. Dudley’s personal assistant for almost 10 years. She always wanted to write inspirational books after working in group homes. Ms. Ella states,“If young people’s challenges are not addressed, it could prevent them from becoming successful in later life.”
Place Your Order Today at www.ShopEvery.Black
Only $25 (plus shipping and taxes)
Announcing the SB Fuller and Dr. Joe L. Dudley, Sr. Legacy Tour
SB Fuller
June 4, 1905-October 24, 1988
American entrepreneur Founder and President of the Fuller Products Company and mentor to John H. Johnson (Ebony-Jet, George E. Johnson (Johnson Products Company), Joe L. Dudley, Sr. (Dudley Q +) and so many others.
Joe Louis Dudley, Sr.
May 9, 1937-February 8, 2024
American entrepreneur, humanitarian, co-founder of Dudley Q plus, founder of Dudley Cosmetology Univ., Pres. George Bush’s 467th Point of Light, author of Walking by Faith, I Am I Can and I Will, Horatio Alger Assoc. member among many others.
Join us on a journey celebrating the inspiring lives of SB Fuller and his mentee, Dr. Joe L. Dudley, Sr., two trailblazing African American entrepreneurs. Explore their rise from humble beginnings to business success, to self-made millionaires and their dedication to mentoring others and creating opportunities. Through engaging stories and vintage clips, discover the powerful legacies they left behind and be inspired to embrace entrepreneurship and community impact. Explore the key moments and milestones that shaped their paths, from S.B. Fuller’s rise as the founder of Fuller Products Company to Dr. Joe L. Dudley, Sr.’s transformation into a dynamic leader in the beauty industry with Dudley Products Inc.
This tour is being orchestrated by Dr. Jimmy J. Davies, Founder of Every.Black, LLC. The mission of Every.Black is to promote the use of technology in business.
Email: Info@Every.Black
Phone: 919-265-8045 or 336-392-8523
Register: www.Every.Black/Tour .Black is the New .Com!
Ella C. Wilson Author
This Father Built A Non-Toxic Feminine Care Company For His Wife And Daughters
BY JASMINE BROWLEY ESSENCE MAGAZINE
Demond Crump’s worst nightmare came true when his wife informed him that she was facing a serious health issue.
“I need a partial hysterectomy that was advised by my doctor and it caused heavy bleeding afterward,” Demond’s wife, Quiana Crump shared with Essence. “It was not too long after that my husband sought out a prototype of a sanitary pad that absorbed like nothing else on the market.”
Although she’d always fully supported her entrepreneurial husband in all of his endeavors through their decades-long marriage, Qiana said she wasn’t completely sold on the idea of him going into the feminine care business initially.
“As a woman, you know how men feel about periods,” she said, pointing out that menstruation conversations typically make men squeamish. “But he demonstrated what the product could do, I had complete buy-in.”
The prototype cost Demond $6 to produce and about a year to bring to market. Launched in 2019, Reign Pads touts their triple absorbency is like nothing customers have seen before. Demond adds: “What makes the sanitary napkins a game-changer is a hero material they’re infused with: graphene an ingredient that can help with micro-circulation, promote cell activity and support a healthier metabolism,” as detailed on the
brand’s website. “After speaking with ob-gyn’s and conducting deep research, I found that many of the chemicals found in feminine products on the market cause great harm over time.
He’s right.
“What makes the sanitary napkins a game-changer is a hero material they’re infused with: graphene an ingredient that can help with micro-circulation, promote cell activity and support a healthier metabolism.”
In 2016, TIME reported that some experts were greatly concerned that the chemicals used to make tampons and other feminine care products can possibly lead to toxic shock syndrome (TSS) and cancer. This information only reinforced Demond’s passion to produce an alternative, and he was confident he could make a mark in the industry, even from the beginning. He says this isn’t the first time he’d built a business from the ground up. Demond shared that his entrepreneurial drive started at an early age.
“I’ve been an entrepreneur since 1994 while in my twenties coming out of the United States military,” Demond said, explaining he left after realizing he could never have true professional autonomy while enlisted regard
less of the amount of time he served. “So, entrepreneurship was something I always wanted to go after and achieve. And ironically, nobody in my family was an entrepreneur. Nobody. I just so happened to read a book that literally changed my life, Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice by Dennis Kimbro. I read that book as a young man, and that set me on my path to entrepreneurship, and I never, ever looked back since then.”
Over time, the New Orleans native launched a successful car detailing business, but he was forced to fold it following hurricane Katrina 2005. It was prom-
pted a life-changing move for him and his family.
“We re-located to Georgia because of the storm, and that situation further reinforced the importance of being a business owner. I knew that I could always rebuild anywhere I went.” Now, he says his passion lies in building his mission-driven company that aims to help further the fight for healthy feminine care.
“As a husband and father, my wife and daughters initially inspired me to start the company,” Demond shared. “Now, I’m working to fulfill a need that’s much larger than my family.”
The Crump Family
STILL NEED HEALTH INSURANCE?
You have options
We can help you explore health insurance options for you or your dependents from top companies such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Humana, Aetna, United Healthcare, and Cigna. Options include:
+ Individual and family plans, for those under 65 years old.
+ Supplemental short-term coverage, to help with a temporary need.
+ Medicare plans for those who qualify, such as those over 65, disabled, or have other special circumstances.
Individual and family plans
If you are 18 to 64 years old, you may be eligible to enrolled in Affordable Care (ACA) coverage, sometimes called Obamacare. The yearly enrollment period for ACA enrollment is November 15 through January 31. However, you may be able to get ACA coverage outside of the yearly enrollment period if you have special circumstances, such as loss of job based health insurance, change in marital status, low household income or others.
Short-term plans
If you qualify, this is a good option when you have a temporary need. Once you sign up, coverage usually begins the next day.
Medicare plans
If you are Medicare eligible, we can help you choose the Medicare option that is best for you. Our agents can help explain the differences between Original Medicare, Medicare Supplement, and Medicare Advantage plans. Since we know that Medicare can be complex, we explain your Medicare options in ways that are easily understood.
We are here to help, at absolutely no cost to you. Just contact us and we can help you find the right plan for you and your family.
If you qualify for Medicare, you may be able to enroll in the best plan for you right now:
+ If you are turning 65 within the next three months.
+ If you are already 65 or older and have not yet selected the best plan for you.
+ If you are disabled.
Questions? Contact us at: SMSi Healthy Living Solutions Inc. 51 E. 4th St. Suite 1702 Winston-Salem, NC 27101
smjones@smsi-net.com
+1 (336) 406-2278
ReachHealthyLivingSolutions.com
