Archive | March, 2014

“Look for the good in the bad, the happy in your sad, the gain in your pain, and what makes you grateful not hateful.”

This favorite quote of Service Coordinator, Karen Baker, speaks of her optimistic and grateful attitude. After interviewing Karen, I learned what motivates and encourages her both on and off the job to notice the best in any situation.

Karen Baker was welcomed to Hannan’s Service Coordination Team in April 2012 and was appointed to serve at Washington Square Co-op in Kalamazoo, MI. A large building of over 200 residents, Washington Square distinguishes itself from other buildings due to its younger population. About half of the members are under 60 and experience some kind of disability that impairs their mobility. Karen and her partner, Matt Hamburg, share the coverage of this high rise building, with each assigned half of the alphabet.

As we begin our conversation, I ask Karen how she likes being at Washington Square Co-op. With a broad smile, Karen states, “I had a good sense from the start about this place.” She continues, sharing “what a difference it makes to finally have a job you enjoy doing.”

Prior to joining Hannan, Karen had a lengthy, rich career in human service. After graduating from Michigan State University, Karen embarked on a path that included: working in a domestic violence shelter in Detroit, where she received training in domestic violence prevention; advocating for neglected and abused girls; and serving as a Child Protective Services worker for the state of Michigan in the foster care system for eleven years.

While Karen found each of these positions rewarding in their challenges, there is a big difference between her job satisfaction then and now. Karen appreciates that her present clients are seeking, rather than being forced to receive, help. As their advocate for resources, Karen enjoys the connections she makes with her members who freely choose her services. Believing that she is getting paid to live her mission, Karen states “Everything I have done in my career so far has prepared me really well for this job.”

When asked about the gifts she brings as a Service Coordinator, Karen recalls the words of a member who affirmed her ability to “honor others’ dignity.” She also notes her non-judgmental approach. As an observer, Karen’s gentleness and kindness are additional gifts that I would imagine would be comforting and supportive for her members.

Karen credits two people as well as her faith as playing important roles in influencing her career path in human service. Her Aunt Bernie fostered about 50 children over the years. Her passion for helping people inspired Karen to also commit to a life of service. Another guide was a Sunday school teacher who was also a judge who worked with delinquent youth. Both his faith and his work instructed and encouraged Karen to become a CPS worker.  Karen’s United Methodist religious tradition has a strong commitment to social justice. The teachings and her own worshipping community have helped Karen practice the values and share the spirit in the world around her.

To know Karen is to know her son, Trent (14). A big part of who Karen is, Trent was only a toddler when his father, Art, Karen’s husband of over 20 years, died after a short bout with end-stage kidney cancer. Karen sees the best of her husband’s personality in her son with whom she spends a good deal of her time. The two like to play Kinect together and with Trent’s friends who enjoy spending time at Karen’s home.

When Art was alive, he encouraged Karen to take up stained glass making, following Karen’s gift to him of a class series. Karen pursued stained glass for about 15 years. She hopes to return to some unfinished projects when time allows.  Karen and Art also enjoyed fishing trips together.

Today, Karen’s ideas of fun include dancing with her friends and trying out new recipes on them. Karen considers her friends her “guinea pigs” for her cooking experiments.

When asked about what she would like to accomplish or share as a Service Coordinator, Karen hopes to attend in person the once-a-month professional development trainings in Detroit and be able to meet with her colleagues. She also hopes to continue to avail of educational workshops like the one she attended to receive training in Excel. Karen enjoys making flyers and is open to sharing her ideas with her colleagues. Recently, Karen hosted a service dog workshop which she described as “the most fun” of all she has planned so far. More details about this event can be found in the January 2014 edition of SCoop.

Describing Washington Square as her “favorite place,” Karen clearly declares, “I’m staying!” This kind of clarity reminds me of the quote from Howard Thurman that states “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

After spending some time with Karen, I had a sense that being a Service Coordinator brings her much life and that the community Karen serves benefits greatly from her enthusiasm.

Written by Deirdre Manning