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Fartun Hassan: Giving Back to the Community She Calls Home

daydigginsnichole

Updated: Mar 9, 2024




Now more than ever before, volunteer work in the health care sector is essential in order to offer adequate support and resources to the communities that have been significantly debilitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While people lose jobs, business, and health benefits every day across all industries, the demand for health care coverage and accessibility has been rapidly increasing, especially within Minnesota’s growing Somali and East African communities. Meet Fartun Hassan, who has been a committed volunteer at HealthFinders and a perfect representative for HealthFinders’ mission of providing equitable and affordable health care for the Rice County community.

Get to Know Fartun

Fartun was born in Kenya, and came to Minnesota as a refugee at a very young age. She and her family settled in Faribault, and she graduated from Faribault High School (FHS) in 2014. During her time at FHS, Fartun consistently found her name listed on the high honor roll. When she finished all of her high school credits early senior year, she decided to get involved in the community. Instead of going home after lunch every day, she started reaching out to various health care providers in Minnesota to see if there were service opportunities available. Quickly connecting with HealthFinders, she began her volunteer work as a Somali translator, and also got involved as a classroom aid for other organizations that offer disability services. Since starting with HealthFinders, Fartun has volunteered over 130 hours of her time to the organization! Outside of her time working with HealthFinders and other community programs in Faribault, Fartun is an avid reader, typically finishing around 20 books a month. She enjoys all genres, but her favorites are fantasy and fiction. She especially loved the Harry Potter series when she was younger – claiming that she would have been a top student and prominent leader of Hogwarts' Hufflepuff house due to her inclusive values and strong work ethic.

Importance of Community Now, Fartun has been a volunteer with HealthFinders for over five years, and she is very grateful for the continuing opportunity to help others. She values the strong sense of community at HealthFinders, and commends them for having such a welcoming attitude toward people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Speaking about what drives her to volunteer her time, Fartun says, “Helping others is the main pillar of my religion. God put us on Earth to serve each other and show each other mercy, the same way He shows mercy on us.” Fartun aims to inspire others to become involved in community service and put words into action through volunteer work. She hopes that more people will hear her message and understand that HealthFinders is a place where anyone can receive the medical attention they deserve, regardless of if they have insurance. Thank you for your service, Fartun! Your dedication has made HealthFinders a brighter place.

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