Spring Benefit Concert announcement!
Phillip Phillips,
"American Idol" winner and pop record
ing superstar, will be playing an acoustic show to benefit CHN at the historic and newly renovated Flagstar Strand Theatre in Pontiac on April 27, 2017!
Individual tickets are now on sale through
Ticketmaster at a cost of $100.00 each.
VIP Sponsorship packages with some terrific amenities will be available and will be announced in early January.
|
Adopt A Family thank you!
Thank you for your generous support through Adopt A Family. Your generosity helped the holidays sparkle for those in our programs, many who recently moved from homelessness into housing.
This story published in The Oakland Press on December 1, 2016 shares what this program meant to a family that was part of our Adopt A Family 2015 program.
|
There is a need year round for funds to support our Adopt A Family program, our Critical Needs Fund, and our work to provide safe, decent and affordable housing for people in need.
Donations are always welcome at Community Housing Network Donations or contact Lisa Fuhr at 248-824-7313.
|
A new year? A new job?
Make s
ure to bookmark o
ur
Employment and Internship opportunities
page and check back for updated postings.
In 2
016 we received
"Detroit Free Press
Top Workplace" and "Crain's Detroit Cool Places to Work" awards!
|
|
|
|
|
 |
This month I'd like to introduce you to Julie Fitzgerald, a senior financial analyst in our Troy office.
Our accounting department has eight employees who are responsible for the reporting, balancing and auditing of the more than 25 entities we manage. The work involved in making certain our financials are reported to management, our board, auditors and funders is a job that always has to be 100% correct. Keeping it all organized and managed is a top priority!
Julie provides financial and accounting support to our U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) group grants as well as to CHN itself. She is responsible for approximately 20 HUD grants (managed out of our Housing Programs and Community Programs departments) - making sure funding is in place and financial information is reported accurately. These grants have various closing dates throughout the year. We have four new grants that Julie will be tracking during 2017.
Her supervisor, Morene Rehbine, Director of Accounting and Finance, states, "Julie's work exemplifies our core values (innovative, inclusion, integrity, passion). She has worked very hard with the auditors and on the budgets! Because she is forward thinking she is prepared as grant years end and new ones begin. She is an asset to the department and the company and I am honored to work with her."
Let's turn to Julie now and give her a chance to answer a few questions.
How did you become involved with CHN?
I was working part-time for another non-profit run by one of our board members. While attending a CHN board meeting, he heard that CHN was looking for a part-time accountant to work on a new project - the Springhill Pooled Accounts Trust, and suggested that I apply for that position. I was part-time with both non-profits for a while and as time went on, my CHN group's needs changed, and a full-time position, working with the HUD grants and CHN overall, was made available. I made the decision at that time to go full-time with CHN,
I wanted to be somewhere that added such a great value to people's lives.
Is there any special training you had to complete for your job?
My formal education background includes a master's degree in finance. However, for my specific role, I attend
trainings for HUD grant administration, the Continuum of Care, various webinars, and auditor training.
Speaking of audits, what is your role with our audit process?
I am a key contact person for our annual audit conducted in November each year, including a single audit required for all federal grants. I prepare several schedules and reports for the auditors prior to their arrival. During the audit, the auditors and I will sit down and review documents; I show them requested information in Financial Edge, etc.
Besides these official audits, it's my job to monitor that our HUD grants are spent and closed appropriately throughout the year.
Is there such a thing as a typical day in accounting?
Definitely not! The great thing about this position is that since accounting has touch-points within every department at CHN, we are needed daily. I might have an idea of what I'd like to work on, but then there may be funding questions that arise and I'll jump on that project and gladly help solve the issue.
Is there a particular case that sticks out in your memory?
This past summer we faced a HUD funding loss in Macomb County, through no fault of our own. As an organization, staff from various departments came together to come up with a solution that would keep our people housed! The dedication of our staff resulted in not one person becoming homeless. In accounting, we needed to make sure we were tracking this significant change in funding. This memory exemplifies to me, what CHN is all about.
Any parting words of wisdom?
Working here, seeing the passion and dedication that our staff share, is something that I truly appreciate about CHN.
I am grateful for Julie's work, as well as the work of all CHN team members.
Thank you for your ongoing support!
Marc Craig
President
|
With support from:
|
|
|
|
|
