By Katie Binning, Recruiter

Hammer’s vision of “Respecting Abilities, Reaching for Opportunities, and Realizing Dreams” extends way beyond the people we support. The Hammer culture is an inclusive and welcoming environment for all our employees. We are especially proud that 25% of our employees are Baby Boomers and over the age of 50. This seasoned group brings their life experiences, diverse skills and ideas to Hammer….and they are thriving! These employees (including some of us in the Human Resources Department) have discovered that Hammer is a great fit for people who are over 50 and seeking a new career path or maybe looking for a part-time position.

Some employees have worked at Hammer many years, making an entire career of supporting people with developmental disabilities. Others are people who have worked in other industries and want a new career path or part-time position. Regardless of their situation, the common thread is that they want a position where they can make a difference.

This 50+ age group is also a rich resource for the people Hammer supports that are over the age of 50. Oftentimes these folks truly enjoy having a staff member to connect with, who is a similar age. Someone I used to support at one of the Hammer homes explained: “When someone my age is there, we have more to talk about because we like similar things and have memories from when we were kids. I like talking to [her] when we are together.”

New team members (no matter age) tend to have fresh ideas, experiential knowledge, and are usually just plain happy to help! For our younger employees, employees over the age of 50 bring a great new dynamic to the team, and many bring valuable previous experiences to the table. Hammer’s variety of schedules, both full time and part time, often fit well for people who have other obligations such as time with family, seasonal living situations, or other jobs. The ability to work as little as one-shift a week is enticing for people who seek to make a difference, work in a casual setting and want to stay engaged with a professional community of co-workers.

If you or someone you know is seeking a new opportunity, please direct them to this link: https://www.hammer.org/careers/. There you will find descriptions of our job openings and more information on what it is like to work for Hammer.

Feel free to contact me with any inquiries, or referrals! Thank you for reading, and thank you from all of Hammer for your continued support of our mission.

Katie Binning, 952-345-8555  or email me at kbinning@hammer.org.