Every day, dedicated home-visiting professionals in South Carolina quietly transform lives, stepping through families’ doors as trusted guides, advocates and partners. They help families navigate some of life’s most vulnerable moments.
Home visitors are trained professionals who make regular visits to the homes of expecting and new parents. They provide education, connect families to resources and support healthy child development for children ages 0-5.
The Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals is a national organization committed to advancing the field of family support by providing training and professional development to practitioners who serve families at the ground level, ensuring that those who do this life-changing work are equipped, supported and recognized for the difference they make.
Children’s Trust partners with the Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals to help South Carolina home visitors access quality home visiting resources.
To highlight this impactful profession, the Institute is recognizing five individuals from across the country as National Home Visitors of the Year.
We are very proud that one of them is Sanquinta Martin, the lead home visitor for the Parenting Place in Easley, South Carolina. The Parenting Place delivers Healthy Families America, a home-visiting program funded by the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program through Children’s Trust.
Like her peer honorees, Sanquinita goes above and beyond for the families she serves, exemplifying what makes this work so powerful, including empathy, perseverance and an unwavering belief in them. We are so proud of her and of the Parenting Place for this well-deserved honor.
Twelve Years of Unwavering Commitment
Sanquinita Martin has been a cornerstone of The Parenting Place’s home visiting program for more than twelve years. In a field with heavy emotional demands and common burnout, her dedication has never wavered.
Her longevity has allowed her to witness the generational impact, a rarity in this work. She has watched children grow, seen families strengthen and built the kind of sustained trust that only comes from years of consistent, compassionate presence. She approaches families with respect and dignity, meeting them where they need her.
The Person Families Call When Worlds Fall Apart
The depth of Sanquinita’s impact is perhaps best captured in a single moment. When one of her families discovered their mother unresponsive on the floor, they called emergency services, then Sanquinita. Not a neighbor. Not another relative. Her. In a moment of shock, grief and fear, she was the person they trusted most.
Sanquinita answered that call the way she answers every call, with calm strength, compassion and an unwavering presence that reassures families they are not alone. Her consistency provides families with stability when they need it.
Empowering Families to Discover their Own Strength
Beyond moments of crisis, Sanquinita helps families heal, stabilize and thrive as they care for their young children. She guides parents with both tenderness and clarity, from supporting child development goals and celebrating milestones to holding space for struggle.
She connects families with community resources, coordinates support during hardships, and consistently reminds parents of their strength when they feel self-doubt. “She helped me see my strength when I couldn’t see it myself. Because of her, I am a stronger parent and my child is happier,” shared a parent in Sanquinita’s award application.
A Quiet Leader and Model of Professional Excellence
At the Parenting Place, Sanquinita is a steady soul her team relies on, always approaching her work with humility and grace. She mentors newer staff, covers visits when colleagues need support, and brings a calm, thoughtful perspective to challenging situations. Supervisors point to her strong documentation, consistent follow-through and trauma-informed, family-centered practice as a model for the entire team.
She does not seek the spotlight. She simply shows up, fully present and fully committed, every single day.
The Light of Sanquinita
In a field where emotional weight can crush even the strongest spirit, Sanquinita has remained unwavering. Twelve years of showing up. Twelve years of standing strong. Twelve years of giving families something far more powerful than services.
She gives families hope, stability and love. One parent shared, “My child lights up when she comes. She’s not just a person who visits our home; she is family.”
Sanquinita is a shining example of what makes home visiting such a unique and powerful solution. We welcome this opportunity to celebrate Sanquinita Martin as a National Home Visitor of the Year.
A few years ago, we produced a video highlighting The Parenting Place’s work. In it, Sanquinita shares her experience working with one family.