As I sit here this afternoon, I am still shocked by what I watched transpire at the United States Capitol yesterday. We all sat helplessly in witness to a violent assault on our democracy; one that aimed to thwart the most sacred of constitutional duties: the peaceful transition of power.
As the world’s attention descended on Washington, D.C., many of us felt an overwhelming sense of anxiety. We felt the same disbelief, sadness, and anger. And I’m sure you all were asking what seemed like impossible questions to answer, like how did it get to his point?
I’m not here to provide answers; only to share my perspective. I firmly believe that the values we share as a country are much greater than the political ideals that divide us. And nobody embodies those values more than all of you.
Our diverse community – and all of you who comprise it – gives me hope. Every day, people from all backgrounds come together with a common focus: to empower the most vulnerable members of our population to live happy and fulfilling lives. Your open hearts and commitment to others make our region a better place. And as a Care Champion, you exemplify the values that bring out the best in all of us. And for that, I am grateful.
Just know that it’s okay to feel anxious today. But never forget the positive impact you have on the lives of so many people around us. It’s what motivates me every day.
From my family to yours, I want to wish the entire Incompass Human Services community a happy Thanksgiving. This year has been a challenging one, but I thought this particular holiday was a good opportunity to look back at one of my favorite days of 2020: our Care Champions Caravan. On this day in May, dozens of staff drove to each and every one of our group homes to express appreciation to the Care Champions who are working so hard to keep our community safe.
For all of the Care Champions, thank you so much for all that you do. The executive leadership team will be handing out some small tokens of our appreciation to each of you in the next few weeks. We are eternally grateful for the dedication you have to every individual, family member, and caregiver we support.
It’s been quite a month at LifeLinks CLASS Incompass Human Services! (I still say it occasionally out of habit, but so glad to be able to call ourselves Incompass!)
After the brand launch ceremony, I wanted to sit down and share my thoughts while everything was still fresh. As I watched the video again this week, I realized that my main takeaway is this:
YOU are the brand! YOU are the story! And we need your help to bring this brand to life!
In hindsight, I’m glad I filmed this when I did given the pace of these past 30 days! Since we’ve launched the brand, we have:
Completed our very first virtual CARF Accreditation visit
Opened a new group home in Tyngsboro
Hired a new controller to manage finance and accounting operations – the incredibly talented Sheila Dunne
Promoted one of our most dedicated Care Champions Shawn Nault to a new position overseeing all day program at Incompass Human Services
Announced our very first employee referral bonus program
Launched the “All Incompassing Minute” podcast
Held our annual meeting with the Incompass Board of Directors
And of course, we’re still managing through this COVID-19 pandemic. It’s getting harder and harder to keep up with you all (in a good way)!
I know that the holiday season will be a lot different for all of us this year – for reasons beyond our control. But as you heard on Monday’s podcast, we have a team of Care Champions actively meeting to brainstorm on ways to spread holiday cheer throughout the agency in these uncertain times. I can’t wait to hear what they come up with over these next few weeks!
New strategic plan. New culture statement. New brand. New group homes. New virtual programs. You notice a theme here? So I thought, why not try a new format for my monthly message to all of you! So I asked Dan to facilitate a little Q&A session where I was able to touch on many of the questions I’ve received in the past few weeks.
Now, believe it or not, there are some of you out there who don’t have the time or inclination to watch to me talk for 20 minutes! (Shocking, I know!) So if any topic is of particular interest to you, feel free to watch in three-minute increments below:
Hopefully, you’re still with me! I’d love to hear from you now…do you prefer this type of communication? Are there questions you have for me? Are there others in the organization you want to hear from? We have a big year ahead of us, and our ability to work together for the people we support will be the key to maximizing our impact.
Remember, we’re all care champions – even me, the least valuable employee! ? And we’re all working #ForEachOther to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.
