Working Together: Latasha and Michelle

Latasha loves kids. She loves teaching them and caring for them, but mostly she loves being a friend to kids who face obstacles. And, because of HIRED and counselor Michelle Ammann, Latasha has the opportunity to put her love of kids into action.

Latasha was part of STEP (Specialized Training and Experience Program), a 10-week supported work program, funded by Ramsey County, that helps provide job placement services to MFIP (Minnesota Family Investment Program) recipients. With the help of Michelle, and working with other HIRED staff, Latasha was able to get training, set employment goals and map out a career path before even beginning her job search. She also worked on interviewing and interpersonal skills, so that she was ready when she met with a potential employer.

With HIRED’s guidance and connections, Latasha found a position with Merrick Community Center on St. Paul’s East Side. Paid for by STEP, Latasha’s job is to work with preschool children, helping them learn their ABCs and basic spelling and math skills. Also, she provides one-on-one time with children who come from difficult family situations, giving these kids a “buddy” they can talk to and trust.

“I don’t know what I would have done without HIRED,” says Latasha. “I’ve got three kids of my own I need to support and I needed stable employment. To get help finding a job doing something I love was a blessing.”

For more information about STEP, visit the HIRED website.

HIRED Works

If you have friends or colleagues that you would like to introduce to HIRED’s extraordinary mission of providing personalized and innovative work solutions, please consider inviting them to one of our upcoming HIRED Works seminars. We’ll host a session at our main office, 1200 Plymouth Avenue North in Minneapolis, on May 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Nadine Sehnert at 612-302-8504 or by e-mail.

HIRED Annual Report Online

HIRED’s Annual Report, titled Working Together, is online! Read the electronic version here. Inside you’ll find information about HIRED programs and learn about the inspiring relationships HIRED counselors have with their clients.

Jobs Summit

On Thursday, May 15, HIRED will host its inaugural Jobs Summit Fundraising Breakfast. Jobs Summit is HIRED’s premier show-and-tell event in which donors and potential donors learn more about HIRED, its work and the impact the organization has on the community. The event, which will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m., promises to be a moving program, giving you a glimpse into the highly personal – and highly effective – work HIRED does with its clients. You’ll have the opportunity to hear from those whose lives have been drastically improved because of their relationship with HIRED.

If you were motivated by the HIRED Works session you attended, or simply feel inspired to support HIRED’s mission, please join us.

To learn more, visit our website.

Service Excellence Award Winner

Without question, the HIRED staff is one of the organization’s most valuable assets. HIRED is fortunate to have built a team of thoughtful, creative and hard-working people who are committed to advancing its mission of providing personalized and innovative work solutions. Each day more than 125 people come together across the Twin Cities to change the face of workforce development in Minnesota, serving clients with the dignity and respect they deserve.

To honor the staff’s dedication, HIRED created the Service Excellence Award. Each winner is selected for his or her commitment to advancing the organization’s mission, as well as his or her service, participation and initiative. Each winner is recognized at an all-staff meeting and receives a commemorative plaque, one additional vacation day and a $100 Visa gift card.

HIRED’s most recent Service Excellence Award Winner is Senior Employment Coordinator Julie Baker. Julie, who has been with HIRED since 1996, currently serves HIRED’s youth clients at Boys Totem Town, a St. Paul correctional facility for juvenile offenders. Here’s what her colleagues had to say about her…

“There is never a problem Julie isn’t willing to tackle… Julie is the model of excellence and a perfect example of the compassionate and hard-working qualities HIRED is known for… Julie always follows through and gives her clients the extra mile. She works into the evenings to accommodate the schedules of her teen clients. She has made many hospital visits, attended graduations, funerals and important events in youths’ lives – often on her own time. The success and good reputation of HIRED is in part due to the heart and work of people like Julie Baker.”

Look for more information about Julie Baker and her work with clients at Boys Totem Town in the next issue of HIREDhelps.