Strong StewardshipWhat Why and WhoThis is the third in a series of three columns on the Strategic Priorities we introduced last July First we must Provide Exceptional Care We set forth seven key initiatives to guide us in that process Second we have committed to Build a One VOA Culture to focus on the ties that bind us together as a health and human services organization Better utilizing what we have in common also will help fulfill the third priority to Sustain Strong Stewardship

What is StewardshipAs our icon illustrates the dimensions of stewardship include time talent and money Peter Block relates to all three in his book Stewardship ldquoas the willingness to be accountable for the well-being of the larger organization by operating in service rather than in control of those around usrdquo Stewardship is personal with the decisions we make every day about how to use our time talent and energy and our resources to be in service to people Earlier this year one of our managers cited stewardship as ldquoinvesting in resources that directly impact people buildings and technologyrdquo

Why is Stewardship ImportantVolunteers of America has a strong history of stewardship Our founders Ballington and Maud Booth worked tirelessly on behalf of the vision to ldquouplift all livesrdquo and inspired others to share their resources generously That dedication is just as important today in order for VOA-MN to sustain our mission in times of great need and declining government funding

Whorsquos responsible for StewardshipStewardship is a shared responsibility Wersquod like VOA-MN to be one of the best investments that donors and grantors can make In his book Peter Block talks about the need to pass stewardship on to those who will someday stand in our shoes ldquoWe choose service over self-interest most powerfully when we build the capacity of the next generation helliprdquo Stewardship is all our responsibility And wersquore up to the task Thank you for your dedication

Senior Leadership Page 2Lorie Humphrey - HR and employee systems improved

Excellence Pages 3-5Anniversaries Kudos KPMG Event with Amicus Thank you to the United Way Committee

Dignity Pages 6-7Chris Kacures Runs His First 10K Race SPSN Recipe of the MonthSouthwest Buffalo Chicken Tacos Southwest Senior Center Arts Project

Hope Page 8Employee and Counselors of the Month Announced

Self-reliance Pages 8-9 Mark Groves is a TC RISE CommunityPartner Award Winner Girls in the Justice System Gender Matters by Steve Nelson

Did You Know Page 9 Trauma-Informed Care Understanding and Implementation Session

November 6 2013

VISION

Upl i f t A l l L i ves

VALUES

Col l abor a t ion Compassion E xcel l ence In t egr i t y and Respec t

MISSION

Help peopl e gain sel f-r e l iance d igni t y and hope

VOICESNewsletter by and for the colleagues of Volunteers of America - Minnesota

Paula HartPresident and CEO

Cl ick here to read abou t the VOA-WI and VOA-MN

Merger

COLLABORATION COMPASSION EXCELLENCE INTEGRITY RESPECT2

You spoke We listened HR and employee systems improved

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

One of the key needs managers and team members voiced in the most recent employee engagement survey was for improved technology and systems We listened to you and are ready to provide a new integrated system for you to have better access to employee information manage payroll record time and attendance recruit talent engage in performance management and enroll in benefits ndash all on-line

Roll OutOn December 15 all staff will begin using UltiPro a powerful cloud-based human resources management system Employees will track their time using a kiosk their computer or a phone dial-in for those without an office or program location The UltiPro system will eventually be a key component of a new staff intranet currently under development which will replace MyPage

Four PhasesWersquore rolling UltiPro out in four phases to let you focus on what you need today and build your knowledge as you get more comfortable with the basics 1 December 15 ndash All staff will use UltiPro to key in their time We will begin with payroll and time recording

2 Spring 2014 ndash We will add recruiting and on-boarding tools 3 Summer 2014 ndash We will centralize performance management processes 4 Fall 2014 ndash We will automate the annual benefits enrollment process for eligible employees My thanks to Manager of Benefits Deb Mau who is spearheading this initiative and bringing together employees from departments across VOA-MN to ensure a successful roll-out According to Deb ldquoWe are excited to launch UltiPro because it allows us to integrate into a one-stop shop all employment-related processes Our goal is an integrated system for both managers and employees that provides easy access to information creates efficiencies in comparison to todayrsquos manual and unrelated systems and generates real-time reports for managers to use in planning for their operationsrdquo Future UpdatesWatch for updates via the weekly Small VOICES and from your supervisor as the December 15 time recording system launch nears Thank you for your participation as we transform management of our workplaces through this exciting new system

Lorie HumphreyVice President of Human Resources

3

EXCELLENCE November 2013 Anniversaries Congratulations and thank you for your service

Terry Thompson CTRC 26 yearsBruce Randall SPSN 10 yearsMary Martin Senior Services 5 yearsPaul Santos Senior Services 5 yearsRosemary Black SPSN 5 yearsKathleen Pierson Education Center 5 yearsWilliam Deputie CRTC 5 yearsJamie Grimm SPSN 1 yearJeffrey Landgraff Bar None 1 yearMark Groves Adult Re-Entry 1 yearMallory Mitchell SPSN 1 yearLucinda Battle SPSN 1 yearCheryl Turitto Adult Re-Entry 1 yearMiho Adkins Community Family Supports 1 yearJoyce Konczyk Senior Services 1 yearMelissa Martin Omegon 1 year

NOTE Volunteers of America recognizes service anniversaries in the following increments 1 year 5 years 10 years and 15 years of service The 20 year mark and above are then recognized each year

Senior Nutrition Dining KudosI recently attended a meeting with a key funder for Senior Nutrition In addition to talking about the financial picture the funder said ldquoYour dining program is in great shape thanks to Nancy Christiansonrdquo Thank you Nancy for your demonstrated leadership and for helping us to maintain a positive relationship with the funder - Submitted by Alice Tennis

Thanks to Amy Brandt for jumping in with both feet as the Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Clinic Manager her leadership will be a great help to the team and the Golden Valley Mental Clinic overall - Submitted by Jaime Monson Mental Health Clinics

Thank You to the United Way CommitteeJoyce Konczyk of Care Management and Consultation Services (pictured on the right) recently won a free Broadway Pizza lunch for nine people sponsored by Thrivent Financial For Lutherans Without a momentrsquos hesitation she decided to bring the pizza to the Metro office and turn it into an appreciation event for VOA MNrsquos hard working United Way Committee While not all Committee members were able to attend the lunch each was immensely grateful for Joycersquos generosity and selflessness Thank you Joyce and thank you to the United Way Committee consisting of Kami Hall Amy Moore Sarah Friedman Brittany Hanson Michelle Price Steve Nelson Kim Begin Mary Ann Schoenberger Nanci Fine and leadership sponsors Paul Omodt and Denise Fosse - Submitted by Anita Raymond

EXCELLENCEEXCELLENCE

4

Anita Raymondrsquos Recipe for Award Winning Vegetarian Chili - 2013

(AKA Perfect Hominy White Bean Chili adapted from Fresh From The Vegetarian Slow Cooker)

1 T olive oil1 small yellow onion diced2 garlic cloves minced1 T chili powder or more to taste1 jalapeno chili (optional) seeded and chopped1 - 14 oz can crushed tomatoes3 C slow cooked or two 155 oz cans navy andor other white beans drained and rinsed1 - 16 oz can hominy drained and rinsed15 C water12 t ground cumin12 t dried oregano1 t salt14 t freshly ground black pepper2 T chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions1 Heat the oil in large soup pot (or large skillet if using slow cooker) over medium heat Add the onion and garlic sauteacute till translucent (if slow cooking cover and cook until softened about 5 minutes) Stir in the chili powder and cook about 30 seconds longer2 If slow cooking transfer to 4-6 qt slow cooker 3 Add the remaining ingredients except cilantro simmer on stovetop until desired consistency If slow cooking cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours4 Just before serving stir in the cilantro and taste to adjust the seasonings

Delicious and easy Enjoy

Ask yourself Why do I give- Submitted by Denise Fosse Senior Director DevelopmentIf you are like me you have a variety of reasons--to help others to fix a problem or to support an idea During our 2013 staff campaign I know that I give to support a powerful mission and to uplift all lives I ask you to join me in celebrating that mission through your participation and gifts In addition to providing needed services we can support those we serve in other ways by helping to support our sustainability and showing our stakeholders another way that we are committed to excellent service

November 14th 2013 marks the fifth year that GiveMN will lead an effort to create the statersquos largest giving day Give To The Max Day (GTTMD) is an opportunity for all of us to support the mission of Volunteers of America-Minnesota (VOA-MN) during our staff giving campaign Of course GTTMD is just one way to give You can also give through automatic payroll deduction making a gift online making a one-time donation and donating through participating in the fun events that will occur during the week of November 11 2013

Please consider asking your friends and family to donate to VOA-MN during the annual GTTMD You can simply download the Word document from here copy and paste the suggested language and post it to your Facebook page or send an email to your social network who will likely want to support the important service we provide every day

You can also go to httpgivemnrazoocomstoryVolunteers-Of-America-Of-Minnesota-3 to see more about the people we serve Thank you for your support

3

EXCELLENCE November 2013 Anniversaries Congratulations and thank you for your service

Terry Thompson CTRC 26 yearsBruce Randall SPSN 10 yearsMary Martin Senior Services 5 yearsPaul Santos Senior Services 5 yearsRosemary Black SPSN 5 yearsKathleen Pierson Education Center 5 yearsWilliam Deputie CRTC 5 yearsJamie Grimm SPSN 1 yearJeffrey Landgraff Bar None 1 yearMark Groves Adult Re-Entry 1 yearMallory Mitchell SPSN 1 yearLucinda Battle SPSN 1 yearCheryl Turitto Adult Re-Entry 1 yearMiho Adkins Community Family Supports 1 yearJoyce Konczyk Senior Services 1 yearMelissa Martin Omegon 1 year

NOTE Volunteers of America recognizes service anniversaries in the following increments 1 year 5 years 10 years and 15 years of service The 20 year mark and above are then recognized each year

Senior Nutrition Dining KudosI recently attended a meeting with a key funder for Senior Nutrition In addition to talking about the financial picture the funder said ldquoYour dining program is in great shape thanks to Nancy Christiansonrdquo Thank you Nancy for your demonstrated leadership and for helping us to maintain a positive relationship with the funder - Submitted by Alice Tennis

Thanks to Amy Brandt for jumping in with both feet as the Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Clinic Manager her leadership will be a great help to the team and the Golden Valley Mental Clinic overall - Submitted by Jaime Monson Mental Health Clinics

Thank You to the United Way CommitteeJoyce Konczyk of Care Management and Consultation Services (pictured on the right) recently won a free Broadway Pizza lunch for nine people sponsored by Thrivent Financial For Lutherans Without a momentrsquos hesitation she decided to bring the pizza to the Metro office and turn it into an appreciation event for VOA MNrsquos hard working United Way Committee While not all Committee members were able to attend the lunch each was immensely grateful for Joycersquos generosity and selflessness Thank you Joyce and thank you to the United Way Committee consisting of Kami Hall Amy Moore Sarah Friedman Brittany Hanson Michelle Price Steve Nelson Kim Begin Mary Ann Schoenberger Nanci Fine and leadership sponsors Paul Omodt and Denise Fosse - Submitted by Anita Raymond

EXCELLENCEEXCELLENCE

4

Anita Raymondrsquos Recipe for Award Winning Vegetarian Chili - 2013

(AKA Perfect Hominy White Bean Chili adapted from Fresh From The Vegetarian Slow Cooker)

1 T olive oil1 small yellow onion diced2 garlic cloves minced1 T chili powder or more to taste1 jalapeno chili (optional) seeded and chopped1 - 14 oz can crushed tomatoes3 C slow cooked or two 155 oz cans navy andor other white beans drained and rinsed1 - 16 oz can hominy drained and rinsed15 C water12 t ground cumin12 t dried oregano1 t salt14 t freshly ground black pepper2 T chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions1 Heat the oil in large soup pot (or large skillet if using slow cooker) over medium heat Add the onion and garlic sauteacute till translucent (if slow cooking cover and cook until softened about 5 minutes) Stir in the chili powder and cook about 30 seconds longer2 If slow cooking transfer to 4-6 qt slow cooker 3 Add the remaining ingredients except cilantro simmer on stovetop until desired consistency If slow cooking cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours4 Just before serving stir in the cilantro and taste to adjust the seasonings

Delicious and easy Enjoy

Ask yourself Why do I give- Submitted by Denise Fosse Senior Director DevelopmentIf you are like me you have a variety of reasons--to help others to fix a problem or to support an idea During our 2013 staff campaign I know that I give to support a powerful mission and to uplift all lives I ask you to join me in celebrating that mission through your participation and gifts In addition to providing needed services we can support those we serve in other ways by helping to support our sustainability and showing our stakeholders another way that we are committed to excellent service

November 14th 2013 marks the fifth year that GiveMN will lead an effort to create the statersquos largest giving day Give To The Max Day (GTTMD) is an opportunity for all of us to support the mission of Volunteers of America-Minnesota (VOA-MN) during our staff giving campaign Of course GTTMD is just one way to give You can also give through automatic payroll deduction making a gift online making a one-time donation and donating through participating in the fun events that will occur during the week of November 11 2013

Please consider asking your friends and family to donate to VOA-MN during the annual GTTMD You can simply download the Word document from here copy and paste the suggested language and post it to your Facebook page or send an email to your social network who will likely want to support the important service we provide every day

You can also go to httpgivemnrazoocomstoryVolunteers-Of-America-Of-Minnesota-3 to see more about the people we serve Thank you for your support

EXCELLENCEEXCELLENCE

4

Anita Raymondrsquos Recipe for Award Winning Vegetarian Chili - 2013

(AKA Perfect Hominy White Bean Chili adapted from Fresh From The Vegetarian Slow Cooker)

1 T olive oil1 small yellow onion diced2 garlic cloves minced1 T chili powder or more to taste1 jalapeno chili (optional) seeded and chopped1 - 14 oz can crushed tomatoes3 C slow cooked or two 155 oz cans navy andor other white beans drained and rinsed1 - 16 oz can hominy drained and rinsed15 C water12 t ground cumin12 t dried oregano1 t salt14 t freshly ground black pepper2 T chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions1 Heat the oil in large soup pot (or large skillet if using slow cooker) over medium heat Add the onion and garlic sauteacute till translucent (if slow cooking cover and cook until softened about 5 minutes) Stir in the chili powder and cook about 30 seconds longer2 If slow cooking transfer to 4-6 qt slow cooker 3 Add the remaining ingredients except cilantro simmer on stovetop until desired consistency If slow cooking cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours4 Just before serving stir in the cilantro and taste to adjust the seasonings

Delicious and easy Enjoy

Ask yourself Why do I give- Submitted by Denise Fosse Senior Director DevelopmentIf you are like me you have a variety of reasons--to help others to fix a problem or to support an idea During our 2013 staff campaign I know that I give to support a powerful mission and to uplift all lives I ask you to join me in celebrating that mission through your participation and gifts In addition to providing needed services we can support those we serve in other ways by helping to support our sustainability and showing our stakeholders another way that we are committed to excellent service

November 14th 2013 marks the fifth year that GiveMN will lead an effort to create the statersquos largest giving day Give To The Max Day (GTTMD) is an opportunity for all of us to support the mission of Volunteers of America-Minnesota (VOA-MN) during our staff giving campaign Of course GTTMD is just one way to give You can also give through automatic payroll deduction making a gift online making a one-time donation and donating through participating in the fun events that will occur during the week of November 11 2013

Please consider asking your friends and family to donate to VOA-MN during the annual GTTMD You can simply download the Word document from here copy and paste the suggested language and post it to your Facebook page or send an email to your social network who will likely want to support the important service we provide every day

You can also go to httpgivemnrazoocomstoryVolunteers-Of-America-Of-Minnesota-3 to see more about the people we serve Thank you for your support

5

EXCELLENCE Girls Circle Training at AmicusWe will be bringing Girls Circle trainers to Minneapolis on November 14 and 15 from 8 am to 430 pm at the Amicus building 3041 4th Ave S in the first floor Sanctuary The training is open to all Spaces are filling up but there are still openings If you work with girls and are interested in facilitation training circle process or a curriculum for your girls group For more information click here The cost is $400 and there are scholarships available on the training page of the One Circle Foundation website wwwOneCircleFoundationorg Register online at the One Circle Foundation Website or call 415-419-5119 to secure your spot Please pass this email along to any contacts you have who you think will be interested - Submitted by Carrie Miller

NAMI Walks A Huge SuccessIrsquod like to thank and acknowledge Sarah Friedman who co-captained the NAMI Walks Event with me this year Her positive and creative energy kept the momentum going even through the rain We had a record number of walkers register this year and learned a lot about being a corporate sponsor so we can make next yearrsquos event even better Thanks Sarah - Submitted by Rebecca Goffman Mental Health Clinics

KPMG Make Coming Home Kits for Amicus and Reconnect More than 65 generous volunteers from KPMG tax and audit advisory group assembled 350 lsquoComing Home Kitsrsquo full of hygiene and basic needs items for Amicus Reconnect clients Each year KPMG travels to a new city to attend the Out amp Equal Workplace Summit to support their LGTB colleagues and this year it was in Minneapolis KPMG reached out to us to do some volunteer work while they were in town and they blew us away Volunteers also took some time to hand-write individual messages to go inside of each kit Thanks KPMG for your generosity and time

The Volunteers added personalized notes to the Coming Home Kits for clients

KPMG Volunteers stuffing the hygiene basics into the Coming Home Kits

KPMG Volunteers Group Shot

6

DIGNITYSPSN Employee of the month for October is Deb VriesenDeb is a Direct Support Professional who has been with VOA-MN since January 2012 She works with individuals in their homes as well as the Milaca living center She is always friendly has a positive attitude in her work and in her interactions with those we serve She has been working with one individual to help him lose weight by taking him to water aerobics and encouraging healthy healthy food choices Deb has also been a significant source of emotional support to one of her female individuals who unexpectedly lost her mother She was flexible with her schedule enabling her to be with her client when she needed her during this difficult time Deb also help in organizing a birthday party for this young lady that was attended by over 30 people That day they all went to a park to celebrate eat play games and uplift this individuals spirits This paid off in the excitement and smile that returned to her face Thank you for all that you do Deb to uplift the lives of others You make a difference in the lives of those you work with both co-workers and the individuals we serve every day- Nominated by Laurie Conners- Submitted by JoAnn Brooks

Chris Kacures Runs His First 10K RaceChris Kacures from the VOA-MN Foley house has participated in two exciting running events during the month of September First Chris and his cousin Christie ran in the Back to Football Run presented by the Twins City Orthopedics on September 21 The event started at Target Field and ended at the Metrodome Stadium At the finish line there were Vikings player and Vikings cheerleaders greeting the runners Chris finished with an impressive time of 2617 Chriss second event occurred on September 28th He and Laura Guse his house staff ran in the Dave Ryan 5K and 10K to raise money for Special Olympics which Chris is a member of and Laura is a coach Laura had an amazing time of 3600 Laura however was surprised to see that Chris was not waiting for her when she crossed the finish line She was even more surprised to to see Chris come across the finish line when there was just over 51 minutes on the race clock To hers and Chriss surprise Chris had made the 10K turn during the race and completed the 10K instead of doing the 5K he originally thought Better yet he did it averaging 8 12 minute miles Way to go Chris on your first 10K race - Submitted by Stacie Haedt

DIGNITY

SPSN Recipe of the MonthSouthwest Buffalo Chicken Tacos

This months recipe comes from Cindy and Robin at our Sheltering Stones location in Milaca We are constantly celebrating creating unusual combinations of foods that taste good and are healthy Cindy and Robin are avid meal planners and chefs at the house They are constantly searching recipe books to find food that they love that is healthy and fun to eat The ladies are continuously reminding each other that there has to be meat veggies and a healthy starch on their plates and take pride in measuring their portions and checking each otherrsquos work They have been so successful with the My25 meal plans that they have both been able to reduce the number of medications that they take on a daily basis

This month the ladies have shared one of their favorite combinations Buffalo Chicken and Mexican food in their Buffalo Chicken Taco recipe

Southwest Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Ingredients12 teaspoon(s) Corn Starch3 tablespoon(s) Taco Sauce 4 7 ounce(s) chunk chicken breast 1 celery stalk diced2 12 cup(s) crumbled blue cheese4 taco shells

Preparation1 In small bowl add corn starch to taco sauce Stir well2 Heat small skillet Add chicken to the pan add taco sauce and stir Reduce heat until mixture thickens about 4 minutes Stir to prevent sticking Divide into 4 taco shells Top each with chopped celery and blue cheese crumbles Serve with your favorite fixings - Lettuce tomato olives sour cream (healthy tip for a healthier option to sour cream try diced avocados on your tacos they are full of healthy fats) We hope you enjoy - Submitted by Stacie Haedt

7

Southwest Senior Center Arts Project

The photo at the right is from our Intergenerational Arts Project with Intermedia Arts Bonnie and Sandy (standing) are experimenting with spray paint techniques - Submitted by Mary Ann Schoenberger

8

Taylor Sonnenfeld ndash Bar-None Counselor of the Month August 2013Taylor is dedicated to her job and goes above and beyond her job responsibilities Besides her SCM duties she has picked up extra shifts at Bar-None Furthermore she recently volunteered to do an extended stay at Meadow View to help out Through all this Taylor has kept a positive attitude around both staff and residents - Submitted by Bar-None

Donte Pettis ndash Bar-None On-Call Counselor of the Month August 2013Donte has been picking up a lot of shifts to help out on Evergreen He also has been helping out on back-up calls and does a great job de-escalating residents He goes above and beyond as an on-call counselor - Submitted by Bar-None

Ashley Beadell ndash Omegon Employee of the Month October 2013Ashley Residential Counselor at Omegon has continued to grow into a very valuable member of the Omegon Team Ashley always shows up to work with a smile on her face and ready to work Her bubbly personality and positive outlook is contagious to everyone around She uses humor and creative interventions to build relationships with the residents Ashley has stepped up and shown more leadership qualities such as asking more questions in team meetings and providing her team members with feedback Ashley seeks out feedback and processes to become the best counselor she can She strives to provide the best quality care looking at the underlying reasons behind the residents behaviors and consistently using the trauma lens- Submitted by Jade Mason

HOPE SELF-RELIANCEMark Groves is a TC RISE Community Partner Award WinnerCongratulations to Rehabilitative and Veterans Services Director Mark Groves who was honored on Thursday with the Twin Cities RISE Community Partner Award

TC RISE gives the honor five times a year to partners who embody the values of their organization serving as champions for Personal Empowerment Accountability Transformation and fostering a Learning-Driven environment

Mark Groves Director of Rehabilitative and Veteransrsquo Services Volunteers of America-

Minnesota

Do you have a story to submit to VOICES

Herersquos how to get your story or photos published in VOICES Send your story along with photos and descriptions to VOICESvoamnorg

Deadline for the December 4 publication is November 15

DIGNITY

SPSN Recipe of the MonthSouthwest Buffalo Chicken Tacos

This months recipe comes from Cindy and Robin at our Sheltering Stones location in Milaca We are constantly celebrating creating unusual combinations of foods that taste good and are healthy Cindy and Robin are avid meal planners and chefs at the house They are constantly searching recipe books to find food that they love that is healthy and fun to eat The ladies are continuously reminding each other that there has to be meat veggies and a healthy starch on their plates and take pride in measuring their portions and checking each otherrsquos work They have been so successful with the My25 meal plans that they have both been able to reduce the number of medications that they take on a daily basis

This month the ladies have shared one of their favorite combinations Buffalo Chicken and Mexican food in their Buffalo Chicken Taco recipe

Southwest Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Ingredients12 teaspoon(s) Corn Starch3 tablespoon(s) Taco Sauce 4 7 ounce(s) chunk chicken breast 1 celery stalk diced2 12 cup(s) crumbled blue cheese4 taco shells

Preparation1 In small bowl add corn starch to taco sauce Stir well2 Heat small skillet Add chicken to the pan add taco sauce and stir Reduce heat until mixture thickens about 4 minutes Stir to prevent sticking Divide into 4 taco shells Top each with chopped celery and blue cheese crumbles Serve with your favorite fixings - Lettuce tomato olives sour cream (healthy tip for a healthier option to sour cream try diced avocados on your tacos they are full of healthy fats) We hope you enjoy - Submitted by Stacie Haedt

7

Southwest Senior Center Arts Project

The photo at the right is from our Intergenerational Arts Project with Intermedia Arts Bonnie and Sandy (standing) are experimenting with spray paint techniques - Submitted by Mary Ann Schoenberger

8

Taylor Sonnenfeld ndash Bar-None Counselor of the Month August 2013Taylor is dedicated to her job and goes above and beyond her job responsibilities Besides her SCM duties she has picked up extra shifts at Bar-None Furthermore she recently volunteered to do an extended stay at Meadow View to help out Through all this Taylor has kept a positive attitude around both staff and residents - Submitted by Bar-None

Donte Pettis ndash Bar-None On-Call Counselor of the Month August 2013Donte has been picking up a lot of shifts to help out on Evergreen He also has been helping out on back-up calls and does a great job de-escalating residents He goes above and beyond as an on-call counselor - Submitted by Bar-None

Ashley Beadell ndash Omegon Employee of the Month October 2013Ashley Residential Counselor at Omegon has continued to grow into a very valuable member of the Omegon Team Ashley always shows up to work with a smile on her face and ready to work Her bubbly personality and positive outlook is contagious to everyone around She uses humor and creative interventions to build relationships with the residents Ashley has stepped up and shown more leadership qualities such as asking more questions in team meetings and providing her team members with feedback Ashley seeks out feedback and processes to become the best counselor she can She strives to provide the best quality care looking at the underlying reasons behind the residents behaviors and consistently using the trauma lens- Submitted by Jade Mason

HOPE SELF-RELIANCEMark Groves is a TC RISE Community Partner Award WinnerCongratulations to Rehabilitative and Veterans Services Director Mark Groves who was honored on Thursday with the Twin Cities RISE Community Partner Award

TC RISE gives the honor five times a year to partners who embody the values of their organization serving as champions for Personal Empowerment Accountability Transformation and fostering a Learning-Driven environment

Mark Groves Director of Rehabilitative and Veteransrsquo Services Volunteers of America-

Minnesota

Do you have a story to submit to VOICES

Herersquos how to get your story or photos published in VOICES Send your story along with photos and descriptions to VOICESvoamnorg

Deadline for the December 4 publication is November 15

8

Taylor Sonnenfeld ndash Bar-None Counselor of the Month August 2013Taylor is dedicated to her job and goes above and beyond her job responsibilities Besides her SCM duties she has picked up extra shifts at Bar-None Furthermore she recently volunteered to do an extended stay at Meadow View to help out Through all this Taylor has kept a positive attitude around both staff and residents - Submitted by Bar-None

Donte Pettis ndash Bar-None On-Call Counselor of the Month August 2013Donte has been picking up a lot of shifts to help out on Evergreen He also has been helping out on back-up calls and does a great job de-escalating residents He goes above and beyond as an on-call counselor - Submitted by Bar-None

Ashley Beadell ndash Omegon Employee of the Month October 2013Ashley Residential Counselor at Omegon has continued to grow into a very valuable member of the Omegon Team Ashley always shows up to work with a smile on her face and ready to work Her bubbly personality and positive outlook is contagious to everyone around She uses humor and creative interventions to build relationships with the residents Ashley has stepped up and shown more leadership qualities such as asking more questions in team meetings and providing her team members with feedback Ashley seeks out feedback and processes to become the best counselor she can She strives to provide the best quality care looking at the underlying reasons behind the residents behaviors and consistently using the trauma lens- Submitted by Jade Mason

HOPE SELF-RELIANCEMark Groves is a TC RISE Community Partner Award WinnerCongratulations to Rehabilitative and Veterans Services Director Mark Groves who was honored on Thursday with the Twin Cities RISE Community Partner Award

TC RISE gives the honor five times a year to partners who embody the values of their organization serving as champions for Personal Empowerment Accountability Transformation and fostering a Learning-Driven environment

Mark Groves Director of Rehabilitative and Veteransrsquo Services Volunteers of America-

Minnesota

Do you have a story to submit to VOICES

Herersquos how to get your story or photos published in VOICES Send your story along with photos and descriptions to VOICESvoamnorg

Deadline for the December 4 publication is November 15

9

DID YOU KNOWTrauma-Informed Care Understanding and Implementation SessionFrom Chris Harnack Director of Mental HealthAn exciting opportunity has been granted to VOA-MN to help us grow in our understanding and implementation of Trauma-Informed Care Cheryl Sharp from the National Council on Behavioral Health joined by consumer voice Sharon Wise MA will be leading two half-day sessions for VOA-MN on Monday November 18th The first session will be held from 900-1215 the second session will be from 115-415 Please consider attending andor inviting one or two of your staff members to attend After participating individuals will be able to

bull Define trauma and what makes something a traumatic eventbull Describe the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE)bull Identify three things that support an organizations efforts to become trauma-informedbull Gain a clear understanding of the power of consumer voice through lived experience in becoming trauma-informed

The sessions will be held at Calvary Lutheran Church - 7520 Golden Valley Road Golden Valley MN 55427

Check with your supervisor about attending RSVP by following the link below write your name in the provided box and check the session youd like to attend Registration will be open until Tuesday November 12

httpdoodlecomx9n28ma7iz9qqgtu

Please contact Michelle Price at mmpricevoamnorg or 952-945-4095 with any questions

Community MattersGirls in the Justice System Gender Matters written by Steve Nelson and featured on the Wilder Foundation Blog on Wednesday October 23 2013To read the article CLICK HERE

Steve Nelson wears many hats in his roles at Volunteers of America-MinnesotaAmicus but in the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Radius Evaluation project his main hat has had the label of ldquolearnerrdquo

Wilder Research in collaboration with Amicus was awarded a major grant by the US Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to conduct a three-year evaluation of the Radius program

Steve Nelson Communications and Evaluation Manager Volunteers of America-Minnesota