Supporter Spotlight – Melissa Patenaude

Introduce yourself! Who are you and how did you hear about WAGEC?

My name is Melissa, I am a holistic nutritionist, and a lover of food. Born and bred American, but happy to now call Australia home. My good friend Google introduced me to WAGEC, and I knew straight away this is where I wanted to volunteer. 

What does community mean to you?

Community, to me, is being around people who make you feel like you belong. Like I am apart of something bigger than myself. Where I feel nourished and accepted to be all of me. Where we stick together, and support one another through the highs and lows of life. 

What strengths did you bring to the WAGEC community? How did you offer support?

I am thrilled to say I am a new volunteer at WAGEC, and so far I’ve had the greatest experience being able to host a workshop for a wonderful group of women about mindful eating. My passion and work with women as a coach and nutritionist is helping them develop healthy relationships. Between that and my own personal experience in a relationship that was unhealthy, I knew I wanted to be of support in any way I could for women who were in tough situations. 

What is something you are grateful for?

There’s many things I am grateful for, and I know this sounds cliche, but every day I wake up and  think about how grateful I am that I get to be alive for another day and get to have a human experience. There’s many people in my life who has passed away suddenly, and just being able to have air in my lungs to breathe really puts things into perspective for me.