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“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

Matthew Hamburg’s journey back to the city of his alma mater, Kalamazoo, where he is serving as the co-Service Coordinator (with Karen Baker) for Washington Square Co-op¸ has been marked with interesting twists, turns, adventure, and synchronicity. Believing that all things work out in the end and that life leads up to what one is doing now, Matt has a story replete with examples of this happening.

The seeds of his calling to social work were planted during Matt’s career experience prior to his enrollment in the BSW program at Western Michigan University. Among his employment endeavors included almost a decade in the restaurant industry as a professionally trained bar tender and floor manager of a restaurant. Both positions afforded Matt plenty of opportunity to interact with and learn about people, equipping him with insight and building on his interpersonal skills that he would eventually use as a social worker. Matt also received training in Electrocardiograph Technology (EKG) and worked as a door-to-door fundraiser for a non-profit organization.

Not satisfied with the lifestyle of the restaurant and wanting more, Matt enrolled in his local community college. It was a career counselor at the college who both educated and inspired Matt in the direction of social work. This man suggested that Matt enroll in an “introduction to social work” class. Matt’s curiosity about the counselor’s education path to his role informed Matt of the career options with a MSW. One thing led to another, and Matt decided to apply and was accepted into the BSW program at Western Michigan University.

Following graduation, Matt and his girl friend, Kate, embarked on a “6-7 month jaunt” to South America. Having planned and saved for this adventure for over a year and a half, the two covered the continent, visiting Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Patagonia, and Argentina. While overseas, Matt applied and learned of his acceptance as an advanced standing student to U-M’s Social Work program. While still overseas, Matt was in communication with Rachel Jacobsen (who held Brenda’s position as Director of Social Work at the time). He interviewed and was accepted as an intern to work with Rachel on special projects and as a case manager under Cheryl Bukoff’s direction at the Zena Baum Center.

Here’s where Matt’s story takes a key turn. One of the projects Matt was assigned was to help create the CSI Service Coordination program! From the ground up, Matt assisted with the planning, investigating, and the hiring process for the initial CSI Service Coordination Team. Little did Matt know that two weeks after graduating from U-M in August 2012, he would be offered a position as a Service Coordinator, working at Belleville Co-op, where he served for a year and a half.

Though only one month into his position at Washington Square, the easy, comfortable manner I observe in Matt in his office space and in the interactions with other residents speaks of this being the right fit, both professionally and personally.  In addition to settling into this new building, Matt also participates in the monthly licensing group with fellow SC’s, with aspirations of sitting for (and passing) the exam this summer.

When not at work, Matt has many and varied interests. A self-professed “foodie,” Matt loves everything about food – its smell, touch, taste. From his homegrown vegetable garden and open air farmer’s markets, Matt lives and appreciates his value of understanding the person in environment approach of social work. An aspiration of Matt’s is to receive formal training in cooking. When not pursuing his passion for all things food, Matt is an avid music lover of many kinds (especially Motown and Folk) and a listener of NPR. His aspirations include continuing to pursue proficiency in Spanish and to travel the world. Self-care practices for Matt include physical exercise, being in nature, and traveling. Matt identifies his favorite movie as The Intouchables, describing it as a “sweet story.”

At the close of our interview, Matt professed what might be a summation of his life philosophy: “I don’t worry too much about too much.” From all the evidence so far in his life, there seems to be no need for worry but much more cause for marvel!

Written by Deirdre Manning

Victoria is the service coordinator at the LaBelle Tower Co-op in Highland Park, Michigan. She joined the Hannan team in November, 2012. She did not take the traditional route to becoming a service coordinator. She attended the University of Michigan for her bachelor of music in violin performance and completed her Michigan teaching certificate for grades K-12 at Madonna University. Victoria taught public school music and has been a performer for over 30 years. If you are a fan of Country Western music you might have already heard Victoria play, as she worked in Nashville’s recording studios for several years and has recorded with Reba McIntyre, Alabama, Chet Atkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. Victoria continues to perform with the Michigan Opera Orchestra.  She is also the conductor for the Detroit Metropolitan String Orchestra, a group of talented young musicians, aged nine to fourteen.

Victoria decided to become a social worker because she saw the need for services in the community when she was a teacher. Being a music teacher taught her how to accommodate to the needs of others. As a music teacher, she encountered students with different learning capabilities and styles, some with physical and mental challenges, and different levels of skills levels but all part of the same team. Her teaching experience shaped her to be able to work with a variety of challenges.

Victoria started to get involved with older adults after being the caregiver of her parents. She gained an understanding of how hard it is to care for parents and the resources that are lacking within our society for end of life care. Even though it was difficult caring for both her parents at the same time, it was also a very enlightening experience. After her parents passed, Victoria became a volunteer with Hospice of Michigan. She felt it was important to give back what Hospice had given to her and her parents and she found caring for individuals, in end of life stage, very rewarding. Volunteering with Hospice reinforced Victoria’s desire to be a social worker. Victoria believes that the profession of social work will allow her to continue to contribute to society no matter what stage of life she is in. Victoria loves her job as a Service Coordinator and has an appreciation for the resiliency of her members at LaBelle.

Victoria received her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California. She was in the first virtual master of social work program at the school. The 18 month Virtual Academic Center program was open to students from all over the world. She was one of 150 people chosen for the first cohort, which is an amazing accomplishment. During her time in school she interned at local agencies in Michigan, the Community Housing Network, Spectrum Human Services and Operation ABLE, which is how she became familiar with the Hannan Foundation. Victoria wanted to work for Hannan because she liked the idea of seniors living in a Co-op and having the autonomy to make decisions about their environment.

In her free time she enjoys making anything with her hands– especially rock houses for her garden—home decorating, and reading. Her favorite author is Steven King; she loves almost anything he writes. She also enjoys watching movies and her favorite TV series is Mad Men.

Victoria believes in lifelong learning for all age groups, she aspires to going back to school and attaining her PhD in gerontology, with research interest in Alzheimer and dementia. In addition, she would like to advocate for seniors on a political level, and perhaps one day run for a political office of some sort.

Written by Aleia Mays, MSW