Quick Thinking Averts Serious Traffic Accident Volunteer Bob Martinka was recently celebrated for his quick thinking during a Hammer Travel trip that likely prevented a serious accident. Last summer, a group of 26 people that we serve, along with 10 staff members, boarded a chartered bus (with a...
As Hammer Residences celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2023 and Northeast Residence celebrates its 50th anniversary, we have another to celebrate as well! Volunteer, Chris Klug, has contributed over 1,120 hours of service. We celebrate his and his wife, Peg’s, 10-year anniversary of volunteering...
Bringing Back a Much-Loved Tradition Here’s a look back on a fun event from last summer when temps were warm, and days were sunny. It was a great opportunity for our west metro and east metro families and staff to get to know one another a bit. A BIG thanks to all of the staff and volunteers...
We Need Legislative Change & Support By Mary Gaasch, Director of Advocacy and Community Relations In October, Jacob Snell, the Program Manager for our west metro (Hammer) Royal Oaks program and I attended ANCOR’s Policy Summit in Washington, DC. ANCOR (American Network of Community Options and...
By Cathy Thoma, Director of Volunteer Resources The universe works in mysterious ways. At least it does for Mary Bradley. About five years ago, Mary (holding tray of cookies above) was watching a movie with a lead character who had Down syndrome. Mary had a sudden, strong feeling that she was...
Congratulations to Stacey Iverson and Cathy Pigg! Each month, we ask our west metro (Hammer) and east metro (NER) Program Directors to nominate Direct Support Professionals and Lead Direct Support Professionals on their team who are going above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of those...
One of the things Hammer Residences and Northeast Residence (NER) have in common is a workplace culture supportive of staff who have met and married or employees who encourage family members to apply for jobs with the organization. The Heroff family has taken that to heart: Lisa Heroff, along with...
A 70-Year Tradition Welcomes New Families & Friends In September, Hammer Residences hosted our annual Family Day Picnic—the first one in three years—outside our Central Offices. This is a special day for the families and people we serve as well as our staff and their families to come together...
If you or someone you know is interested in developing a career (not just a job) supporting people with disabilities, then Teri Lutzke would like to talk with you! Teri Lutzke joined our east metro Human Resources team as a Recruiter a few months ago. She brings with her a special passion for her...
Frank Palony has Spent a Lifetime in Our Care By Lin Curran, Chief of East Metro Operations Frank has been a member of our (east metro) NER family most of his life, going back to 1975 when he was 8 years old and moved into our ICF home. This was just two years after Northeast Residence opened its...
This season of “thanks giving” reminds us of all that we can be thankful for. We’ve stood side by side to bring one another through some dark and challenging days. Many of us have lost family and friends. Life has changed in so many ways. But finally, the last few months have...
Congratulations to Elizabeth (Liz) Hoskyns and Qadira Bradshaw! Each month, we ask our west metro (Hammer) and east metro (NER) Program Directors to nominate Direct Support Professionals and Lead Direct Support Professionals on their team who are going above and beyond to make a difference in the...
Her Smile Lit Up Times Square! By Joanne Heller Our daughter, Jennie, who recently turned 47, has resided at the (east metro) Cedarwood home for 24 years. Throughout her life, Jennie, who was born with Down syndrome, has struggled but persevered. When she was starting to crawl and grabbing things,...
Each year, we present Community Partner Awards to individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact on the lives of those we serve, or whose efforts have greatly supported our work. Since 1993, we’ve recognized 70 nominees who serve as role models of compassion and service as well as...
Congratulations to Bill Pugh, Christine Hagen, and Pam Norman! Each month, we ask our west metro (Hammer) and east metro (NER) Program Directors to nominate Direct Support Professionals and Lead Direct Support Professionals on their team who are going above and beyond to make a difference in the...
Make sure your vote counts! This year, all of our statewide offices are up for re-election. We’ve also had redistricting this year, which means big changes in many districts. Legislators who are re-elected will get to know new districts, and Hammer and NER will have upwards of 50+ new...
Join Us for Our Fall Breakfast! Everyone is gearing up for our Fall Breakfast this Saturday at the North Metro Event Center! A BIG thanks to our talented crafters for creating the decor. Thanks to Tony, Adam, and Matt from our 14th Ave home; Carla, Cindi, Stefanie, and Amy from our Rockford home;...
Dan Bottiger is Director of Information Systems for Hammer Residences and our sister organization, Northeast Residence. Dan got his start at Hammer working part time while in high school. His 32-year Hammerversary is coming up, so we decided to talk with him about his Hammer experience. How were...
Cooking up a Friendship Each year we present Community Partner Awards to individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact on the lives of those we serve, or whose efforts have greatly supported our work. Since 1993, we’ve recognized 70 nominees who serve as role models of compassion...
By Kathy Ganzer, Sarah’s Mom Hello, I’m the parent of a beautiful daughter, Sarah, who has found her second home at Hammer. While we’ve been part of the Hammer family for just over a year, it has already made an incredible difference in Sarah’s life. Hammer is a very special place and...
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