This month I'd like to introduce you to Kerrie Kennedy Pawluk, the
Housing Resource Center (HRC) team leader, in our Troy office.
We can find Kerrie working and leading our team of HRC specialists by answering the team's questions and providing guidance as they assist people in a housing crisis. Her background in training, tutoring, and special education advocacy, as well as having attended law school, gives her a unique skill-set that she uses on a daily basis.
Part of her responsibilities include confirming that call records and referral notes are entered into the Homeless Management Information System. This system collects statistical information on those who use our services and reports that information to a central data collection system. This data is used in order to get a more accurate count of individuals who are homeless and to identify the need for, and use, of different services by those individuals and families.
Director of Community Programs and Outreach, Debra Hendren, shares that "
Kerrie began working in the Housing Resource Center as a housing specialist and demonstrated that she was a quick learner. More important, was her natural ability to work with people and provide a level of customer service that made her an ideal candidate to move into a leadership role. As the team leader, Kerrie is able to be a role model and work with the team to problem solve situations as they occur. We appreciate having her as part of our team as we continue to grow."
Let's turn to Kerrie now and give her a chance to answer a few questions.
How did you become involved with CHN?
Marylynn Hewitt (our Community Relations manager) connected me with CHN by alerting me of job openings in the HRC. I was out of work, down on my luck and then this job came along! I have been with CHN for two years and I'm a huge fan!
Did you have any specific training in order to do your job in our HRC?
Not specifically, but the academic, professional and personal experiences I've had all contribute to me being successful in my job
.
How does your day unfold/what is a typical day like in the HRC?
Typical is being flexible. I need to be available for questions and training for the HRC specialists and be available to assist with special projects for the HRC supervisors. I also oversee the work group for the
Homeless Choice Preference vouchers.
The HRC is a fun place to work as well! We break up the day by reading some of the great quotes that Chuck Bratton posts (see my parting words of
wisdom!), or Kelly Gee asks that I "babysit" her stuffed animals at her desk! This type of environment makes our work place enjoyable.
Tell us about an experience working in the HRC where you felt you were able to positively impact a program participant's life?
I love when we see one of our clients get their name pulled from the Homeless Choice Preference voucher wait list, and see the end result of them being housed in a stable rental situation.
Any parting words of wisdom?
"Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What's important is the action, you don't have to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow." - Carrie Fischer (posted in the HRC by our dear leader Chuck Bratton).
I am grateful for Kerrie's work, as well as the work of all CHN team members.
Thank you for your ongoing support!
Marc Craig
President
