Community Living Options

Thankful for our time learning together with Gretchen Slenk of Melo Leadership Consulting. Our Supervisors, Directors, and Administrators learned about “Leadership: Feedback that Inspires.” Thank you to Gretchen for a dynamic training that helped our leaders navigate how to support each of our staff and learning best practices to encourage and promote change! Thank you to Honor Credit Union for the use of “the Space.” Here’s to our CLO leaders for their continued commitment to their professional development! #meloconsulting #leadershipdevelopment #feedback #inspiration #Community

Thankful for all of our direct support professionals and staff this week and always! Yesterday, our Alcott Adult Learning Center Staff had a day of learning and team building! We appreciate them taking the time to invest in their career and learn with each other how to provide the best care and services to our participants. Special thanks to Gretchen Slenk from Melo Leadership Consulting for a wonderful training on what makes effective, strong teams. The day also included a mental break through a fun Paint and Pass session after a full morning learning about quality practices courtesy of our CLO staff. Here’s to you Alcott staff—-you create the art in the daily work with others! #directsupportprofessional #DSPWeek #lovewhatyoudo #changeyourmindset #investinyourself

Today is World Down Syndrome Day. We challenge you to #EndTheStereotypes and interact with people of differing abilities. We guarantee you will learn from and get to know just how similar we all are. It's amazing how much joy and fun you can have spending time together! We encourage you to learn more by visiting: https://lnkd.in/evvNKJ3 and be inspired by watching: https://lnkd.in/gaFX3UDG

Wishing our Muslim staff, friends, and community, Ramadan Mubarak!

Meet Gwen. Gwen is the Program Supervisor at the Alamo home. She has been with CLO for 12 years. She has grown through the agency during this time, starting as a relief staff, then moved into a Direct Support Professional role, then Program Assistant, and now as an outstanding Program Supervisor. Gwen shared, "I love this job. Working at CLO has become my life. Making a difference, even if it’s small, in our consumers lives makes it all worth while!” What are some of her strengths? “I believe my biggest strengths are I’m a very hard worker. I’m very creative and because of that, I am able to find solutions to problems or hard situations I’ve encountered.” What do you enjoy most about CLO? “I like having the ability to make a change in even one consumer's life or several; my passion has always been helping. Not just providing effective efficient care, but being able to make a positive difference.” What are some of your hobbies? "I love to read. I love to write. I love to write short stories and write down my thoughts." What brings her joy? “My children, being their mom and spending every moment that I can with them knowing that they’re healthy and happy makes me happy.” What goals or hopes do you have for the future? “I want to finish college with a degree in psychology, buy a house and be a wonderful program supervisor.” Gwen is a fantastic supervisor and supports her staff. She exemplifies teamwork and knows that working together is the best way to get things done; that everyone brings something, so together there's nothing they can't do. Thanks, Gwen, for being a part of this community at Community Living Options-CLO! You are amazing! #community #care #kalamazoo #AdultsWithDisabilities #housing #jobs2024 #lovewhatyoudo #patience #directsupportprofessional #kindness #programassistant #motivation #encouragement #programsupervisor

We hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season with friends, family, coworkers, and community! Community Living Options had a busy month with a Staff Appreciation event at Revel and Roll, the Alcott singers at St. Barnabus, cookie decorating at Old Log Trail and Barrington, card making from the Alcott participants for nursing homes, and a very Merry Christmas Eve with the Barrington guys. Plus all the celebrations and happenings at all the other CLO homes and sites! Here’s to ending 2023 with hearts full of fun, laughter, memories, and a community connected in encouraging and supporting others through independence and to have the joy of experiencing fulfilling lives!

Help us make a memorable season for many! This season, Community Living Options wants to bring “Hometown Holidays” to the homes and programs we support. Help us provide our residents and participants a season of cheer by donating to our event! This month, we will come together to celebrate the spirit of the season with a traditional holiday meal, decorations, gift giving, ornament making, exchanging cookies, and singing carols. Help us provide a ”Hometown Holiday” through your financial or in-kind donation. We support over 120 individuals with disabilities. Most of the individuals we serve are at or below 125% of the poverty level. Let’s make this season extra special and joy-filled! Donate and contribute at https://lnkd.in/gTxUeWqp Play music? Like to bake? Love making decorations? Email marketing@communitylivingoptions.org on how you can contribute to “Hometown Holidays!” Thank you to our generous sponsors: Consumers Credit Union Harding's Friendly Markets Honor Credit Union Romence Gardens And current donors: KP Cinemas Millennium Restaurant Group Erbelli's Gourmet Pizza Celebration Cinema Kalamazoo K Wings Hockey Arena Aunt Millie's Bread VanderSalm's Flower Shop and Garden Center