Chayanne Celiant came to Beaufort looking to enjoy the Lowcountry lifestyle and pursue an opportunity to further her medical experience at Beaufort Memorial while finishing her bachelor’s degree. Moving in with her best friend was meant to only be a temporary situation for Chayanne and her 5-year-old son, however she was unaware of the rental challenges in the area.
“Beaufort is so expensive, especially for a single mom looking for a two-bedroom place on a single income,” she said, acknowledging that realization made her uncertain about her future in Beaufort. “I didn't know how I was going to pay $2,500 a month for a two-bedroom place nearby. I was starting to kind of panic.”
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Chayanne, who works as an ER Patient Care Technician at Beaufort Memorial, was seriously considering a move to Florida or Wisconsin with family, until she discovered what was to be Beaufort Memorial’s first step into workforce rental housing.
She was one of nearly 25 Beaufort Memorial employees who qualified and applied for the opportunity to be included in a lottery for a deeply discounted rental property that the hospital had secured from Beaufort County.
When Chayanne received the news that her name was drawn, she was in disbelief.
“I'm super thankful for the rental opportunity,” she said. “There are a lot of employees – single moms or single dad families or people who are in tough situations – that could really benefit from more housing in the area. I'm really hoping that BMH is able to do more to help other employees.”
That is certainly the intent of leadership at Beaufort Memorial.
Addressing the Cost of Living
“One house isn’t really going to make a dent in the overall problem that we have here in Beaufort,” said Beaufort Memorial CEO Russell Baxley. “This was a small step towards addressing the housing affordability crisis in Beaufort County. We’re continuing to move forward with multiple initiatives to help employees struggling with the high cost of living and lack of affordable housing in the area.”
Since the beginning of 2022, Beaufort Memorial has made home ownership more affordable for employees. So far, there have been six to take advantage of a buyer-assistance program that offers up to $10,000 towards an eligible employee’s down payment or closing costs on a home in the area.
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Work continues on other workforce housing efforts, including partnering with a developer to build affordable housing units for employees north and south of the Broad River.
The hospital also partnered, in 2021, with Hobbit Hill Preschools to open The Learning Center, a subsidized childcare- and remote-learning center for children of Beaufort Memorial staff. The daycare is set to move to a newly constructed, freestanding location within walking distance of the hospital’s main campus before the end of 2023.
A Newbie with an Eye to The Future and a Better Life
Chayanne joined the Emergency Department at the beginning of 2023 and quickly became a valued part of the team. Nursing staff, physicians and advanced practice providers rely on her and the other ER technicians to help keep the flow of patients running smoothly by monitoring vitals, collecting samples for lab tests, attending to patients’ comfort and providing other needed assistance.
Although important to the team, being an ER tech doesn’t always come with a lot of thanks. That’s why one patient in particular stands out in Chayanne’s memory.
“She came up to me after, and she just gave me a big hug,” Chayanne recalls of the patient who was dealing with a difficult pregnancy. “It’s so nice to be appreciated, especially as a tech.”
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Now settled into the spacious and comfortable home, Chayanne is grateful for the opportunity to provide a better life for her son and work toward her ultimate goal of becoming a physician assistant in emergency medicine or psychology.
“This opportunity gave me the ability to stay here and stay at a job that I actually like in a city that I actually like,” she explained. “Being able to have personal space for my son and me, just to have and build our bond, it’s great. And it's so close to BMH!”
“I’m glad we’ve made such a difference in Chayanne’s life, and I’m looking forward to making this kind of a difference for many others,” Baxley said.
Learn about career opportunities at Beaufort Memorial.