People often think of healthcare in terms of symptoms and services, but behind every clinic visit is a deeper story shaped by food insecurity, housing instability, and more. In this episode, host Spencer Brooks talks with Penny Aronson of the Community Free Clinic in Cabarrus County, NC, about how social determinants of health influence care delivery, challenge traditional marketing narratives, and shape the clinic’s outreach and funding efforts. If you’re a health nonprofit communicator working to make the invisible visible, this conversation will help you frame complex issues in ways your community (and your funders) can understand.

About the guest

Penny Aronson has more than 15 years of experience in community programming and corporate communication leadership. Penny began her career in corporate marketing and communications, supporting corporate branding strategies. She moved to nonprofit work to support education advocacy, building a cottage school and tutoring service, and operating a freelance business for operations, marketing, and communications for small and medium-sized business owners. She developed relationships with community partners and managed extensive volunteer forces. 

Penny’s vast background includes project management, board relations, and organizational strategy development for HR, training, and operations teams. Most recently before joining the Free Clinic, she individually raised 56% of an organization’s operating budget post-COVID with donations and grants, developed three programs with a 51% increase in participation over one year, created volunteer programs with success, and increased Board involvement and training.

Resources

• https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/#TheBook

Contact Penny

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/penny-aronson-9136832/