Member Story
How One Orlando Couple Found Hope, Health, and Balance with PeopleOne Health
Richard Perez, a security officer for Orange County Public Schools, first heard about PeopleOne Health through an email. His wife, Maria, decided to take a closer look — and together, they enrolled. For the first time, the couple had doctors who really knew them, a health and wellness coach to guide their nutrition and lifestyle changes, and mental health counseling that helped Maria thrive. They took advantage of all the services available at no cost, including free prescriptions and preventive screenings. What started as a leap of faith quickly became the foundation for a healthier, happier life.
It wasn’t until I started receiving the mental health services that I realized, wow, I absolutely needed this… I was just surviving, now I’m thriving
Maria Perez, PeopleOne Health Member
The Health Challenge
The rising cost of healthcare kept Richard and Maria from getting the doctors, services, and support they truly needed.
Previous Health
Going to the doctor often felt discouraging. Visits were rushed, bills added up quickly, and things like preventive care or counseling were nearly impossible to access. Richard and Maria felt like they were just getting by, not really getting better.
Impact on Daily Life
Without the right support, stress piled up, nutrition slipped, and health concerns lingered. Everyday life felt heavier, and small problems quietly turned into bigger ones that affected their health and happiness.
PeopleOne Health
When Richard learned his job with Orange County Public Schools came with a free PeopleOne Health membership, he and Maria saw an opportunity they couldn’t pass up. Suddenly, they had access to a full care team at no cost – a benefit available to more than 30,000 OCPS employees and their families.
With their membership, the Perezes gained free access to:
- Primary care
- Prescriptions
- Preventative screenings
- Mental health services
- Nutrition counseling
- Lifestyle coaching
From the moment Richard and Maria walked into the Orlando Downtown Health Center, they felt truly cared for. The team greeted them by name, listened without rushing, and made them feel seen.
Richard quickly built a trusted relationship with Dr. Funk, his primary doctor. For Maria, mental health counseling was life-changing. As a full-time caregiver, she hadn’t realized how much stress she was carrying until therapy gave her the tools to manage it. Weekly sessions helped her ease anxiety, restore balance, and even included a no-cost stress test that would have cost more than $300 with insurance. With her mental health improving, Maria felt motivated to eat better, exercise more, and take charge of her wellbeing. Today, she feels so much stronger that she only needs monthly check-ins.
With this new momentum, both Richard and Maria began working with their health and wellness coach, Stephanie Alvarado, who helped them reshape their nutrition and daily routines for lasting lifestyle changes.
The Results
Through their PeopleOne Health membership, the Perez family found care that supported their mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. It transformed not just their health, but their daily lives.
Health Outcomes
Maria grew stronger and more balanced through counseling, and Richard finally received the preventive screenings that gave him answers and peace of mind. Together, with guidance from their health and wellness coach, they built healthier routines and discovered a path to long-term wellness.
Personal Impact
Today, the Perezes have everything they need in one place. Their PeopleOne Health membership gives them access to doctors, therapists, health and wellness coaches, pharmacists, and preventive screenings – all at no cost. More importantly, they feel supported, connected, and empowered in a way they never had before. Maria says her journey has taken her from “surviving” to “thriving,” while Richard shares that their care team feels like family. What once seemed too good to be true has become exactly what they needed.
At first, PeopleOne Health seemed too good to be true. Now I know it was the best decision we could have made for both our health and our finances.
Maria Perez, PeopleOne Health Member
