Joe Benedicto
He fit my needs with the work that’s available. What more can you ask for?
Two years after coming to America, Joe Benedicto’s teenage daughter, Candace, is academically ranked #1 in her high school class. Joe says that has lots to do with LifePath Health Careers understanding his priorities and placing him in a job and a community that fits.
“Before we even found the place where I would be assigned, Buddy and I had a heart-to-heart talk,” Joe said about his conversation with Buddy Goldammer, president, LifePath Health Careers. “Buddy said, ‘Joe, you have a 15-year-old daughter and your wife with you. Would you want to go to a place where the educational program is top-notch and it’s not a big city, it’s a small city, but you have everything you need there?’ I said, ‘Yes, Buddy. That’s where I want to go because the education of my kid is my priority. I can work anywhere, but if you have that, please put me there.’”
Joe Benedicto, RN – Hollister, Missouri
That place is Point Lookout Nursing & Rehab in Hollister, Missouri. It is in the geographic center of the United States, where the cost of living is among the most affordable in America. The community is quite safe and the people are friendly and welcoming.
“We’re paying $750 a month rent for a two bedroom,” Joe says. “Now, if you compare that to different places, it’s going to be $900 or more, depending on how big the city is. Everything we need is just seven minutes away if I drive. I mean, what more could you ask for? It’s the perfect spot and I thank Buddy for that.”
Groceries are affordable, too. Joe says they could get by with spending about $200 per month for groceries, but he says they like to indulge and go out to eat as well, bringing their monthly food bill to around $300.
Joe and his wife, Glia, are very pleased with the school their daughter attends and say the teachers are outstanding.
“Candace has a group of friends she works with in school. We’re very proud of her,” Joe says. “We don’t want to take her from Hollister and put her in a different environment. So, after my contract’s done, we’ll stay, let her graduate then rethink our options.”
Above all, Joe has peace of mind knowing his family lives in a safe and friendly place.
“I’m happy it’s a peaceful place. I work at night and when I come home, I don’t worry about anything,” Joe says. “We’re staying here and we’re safe.”
