Volunteer Resources Manager Julie Huffcutt with volunteer Pat Lutz

Calling all volunteers! Get ready to put on your aprons and grab your frying pans because an exciting volunteer opportunity is now also available in the east metro at our White Bear Lake office. If you and your friends enjoy cooking and are passionate about making a positive impact for the individuals we support, then Cooks in the Kitchen is the perfect volunteer experience for you.

Cooks in the Kitchen started back in 2021, in the kitchen at our Wayzata office, that provided hot meals to individuals living in four of our group homes. Launching this opportunity was a major endeavor. It began with staff members piloting the program, cooking the meals, and working out all the kinks. Once those were resolved, new and existing volunteers stepped in. They included Medica, Business Essentials, our Thursday Ladies, and groups of friends. The volunteers would cook and assemble, then staff would deliver the meals to our homes.

When the word got out, the volunteer opportunity started to gain traction and interest grew. Now people from church committees, groups of friends, and corporate groups alike come to volunteer for Cooks in the Kitchen.

Volunteers Chuck and Sandy from Anderson & Associates

Fast forward to 2024. The next exciting challenge was to expand Cooks in the Kitchen to the east side of town, so volunteers living near our White Bear Lake office could easily join in the fun. The first step was to get the space in the lower level of the east office building set up for cooking meals. A stove and an additional refrigerator were installed to create a fully functional kitchen. Essential items like pots, pans, cooking utensils, and staple kitchen ingredients were purchased to stock the cupboards. Next step was to recruit volunteers, and Joanie Purrington (a longtime Northeast Residence board member and ambassador) was just the person to help. She brought a group of her friends to cook and get us started! They are now known as Joanie’s Gems.

The process runs seamlessly. Tried and true recipes are printed off each week from a collection of favorites. Ingredients are ordered through Instacart and delivered to the office. Once the supplies arrive, Diane Campbell, front desk receptionist, puts the food away in the kitchen. Julie Huffcutt is Hammer & NER’s Volunteer Manager and oversees the program. She then steps in and is the organizer of the day, making sure the kitchen is set up and ready for the volunteers to cook. “Cooks in the Kitchen is truly a collaborative effort to prepare wonderful meals for some of our homes and the people we support,” she says.

Volunteer Vicki Huffcutt

When Wednesday rolls around the volunteers arrive and the kitchen is all set. They are warmly welcomed and given some instruction if needed. The cooking process takes a couple of hours. Volunteers prepare ingredients, and the wonderful smell of a home-cooked meal travels through the office. Volunteers assemble the meals in containers and label them for our staff members to deliver to the homes. Now, the only thing left to do are the dishes!

Cooks in the Kitchen is a wonderful experience. The recipes are easy, and I love that the individuals we are cooking for live in the group homes in the community. It is nice to know who you are cooking for is not being shipped away. – Vickie, Volunteer

If you are interested in volunteering, reach out to Julie at Julie.Huffcutt@hammer.org

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Mary Anne with George at their Hale home 

Mary Anne came to NER in 1997 from Pine City where she lived with her mom. Mary Anne was raised on a farm and staff quickly learned that meant waking up early. If you were the overnight staff, you would often wake up with the sense of someone watching over you. Yes, this was Mary Anne who would wait patiently until 6 a.m. to wake you up. Who knows how long she waited in her room. Mary Anne really knows how to make early mornings not so painful. She always has a smile, positive attitude, and something nice to say about you.

Mary Anne loves visitors and makes them feel welcome by offering a pop to everyone who comes to her house. She also loves staying busy in the community by going shopping, out to eat, and on nature walks. You would be amazed by how many birds she can identify. I often wondered if she was just saying any type of bird to see if I would know if she was correct or not.

At home Mary Anne likes to watch TV and the birds outside her window along with doing crafts and Etch-a-Sketch. I have never seen someone be able to write their name on an Etch-a-Sketch as well as Mary Anne. It is rather impressive if she is willing to show you. However, if she sees you trying to look, she will often shake it to erase the artwork.

Mary Anne is a great friend and has taught me to always be positive. If you ever need an uplift, go visit Mary Anne—you will get a smile, a pop, and probably a “You’re so beautiful” or “You’re nice.”

Mary Anne is pictured above with Michelle Hartmann, the Program Manager at her Hale home, at the 2023 Luau.

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There are many organizations and individuals who have supported Northeast Residence over the years by generously giving of their time, talents, and financial gifts. There were groups like the Lions Club, American Legion, VFW, and Rotary Club whose incredible financial and material support was vital when we first opened NER in a former convent in White Bear Lake in 1973. St. Mary’s Church provided the space, rent-free for the first three months and the ladies of St. Mary’s hosted a “shower” to collect items for furnishing the rooms. High school students measured the rooms for paint, carpeting, and curtains, and local business and civic organizations, neighborhood groups, and individuals provided materials and labor. The Lions Club donated NER’s first van. Other community churches and organizations gave to the new home as well. By the time they were finished, all the rooms had been completely furnished. Best of all, the new organization didn’t spend a dime! Truly amazing.

As the need to expand our services grew, we began purchasing homes in residential settings in the 1990s for our first group homes. We also added extended day programs and a respite program. The community generously contributed to our fundraising efforts, including corporations, foundations, civic organizations, and individuals. Over the last several years, groups such as the Rotary Club helped with smaller projects in some of the White Bear Lake homes; the Eagles Club spruced up a few yards; and Donatelli’s has been a long-time friend helping select the Ken and Marion Owens Scholarship recipients each year. (The scholarships are awarded to NER employees to further their education.)

For several years, the Knights of Columbus sponsored a Tootsie Roll Drive. This was a fun partnership that the people we support could participate in. It took place the last weekend of April. The Knights of Columbus would set up tables outside of Cub, Kowalski’s, or Sam’s Club and provided the Tootsie Rolls. We provided the people. We earned about $12,000 in three days. We stopped doing this during COVID-19.

These are just a few of the local groups who have helped NER along the way. We are forever grateful for all the love and support our local communities have shown us over the last 50 years. Each of you is an integral part of helping those we support live life to the fullest.

Lin Curran is Chief of Operations. She joined Northeast Residence in 1987 doing direct support. 

The post We Love Our Community appeared first on Hammer.

Denise

Denise started using the Northeast Residence respite program when she was 9 years old. That wonderful service to families is no longer available but it sure groomed Denise for her future needs. Using the respite program provided her with the opportunity to pack her suitcase for “sleep over” events away from home. She could still attend her school education through the #916 program at White Bear Lake schools plus the many social activities provided by NER staff. Respite care was also a stepping stone to helping her adjust to moving into her first home in Oakdale in 1994 when she was almost 20 years old. Later, everyone at Oakdale moved to the Hale home. Denise has thrived with the wonderful caring and respectful NER staff. Many have cared for Denise for over 20 years. She is happy at her home, that being one of the goals her parents, siblings, and extended family wish for her.

So many pumpkins to choose from!

There are many activities Denise enjoys doing including going to dances, bowling with the NER Raiders, shopping, eating out (she always seems to know where the nearest McDonalds is), and watching her favorite shows (Dukes of Hazzard, The Brady Bunch, and Gilligan’s Island). She really enjoys having coffee whether at home or while out and about. Denise likes talking on the phone and enjoys calling her family often. She also has a few special friends she likes to chat with on the phone.

Denise’s favorite color is purple, her bedroom is a beautiful shade of purple, and most times you see her she is wearing something with purple on it. She is extremely friendly, loves to people watch, and says hi to everyone she sees while she’s out shopping or walking around the neighborhood. Denise always seems happy no matter what she is doing. She enjoys telling her own little jokes and making people laugh. She is also happy to help with things that she can do around the house.

We are happy that our always smiling daughter is happy and that she is part of the NER family.

The Legacies magazine is being distributed to all those on our Discoveries mailing list. If you would like to receive a copy of Legacies and/or be added to our Discoveries distribution list, please email barbara.brandt@hammer.org. 

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We have a new author among us! Nicole Schumacher, who provides direct care support at one of our east metro homes, has created an interpretive novel, “Mind the Blackhole.” Now, you may ask, what is an interpretive novel? “It’s a wordless novel made with abstract drawings,” Nicole says. “They are sort of a dream-like, surreal nature that encourages subconscious ‘play’ with the reader.”

Author and artist Nicole Schumacher

What kind of “black hole” is the title of the book referring to? “A black hole is invisible in space, you can only see it because of the way it warps gravity,” Nicole explains. “It distorts reality.” The book asks the reader to think about the black holes that warp reality in their own life. “I want them to pay attention and learn how to move away from those things.” Each reader will have a slightly different interpretation of the story because it will pull out emotions and thoughts that are unique to them. This affects, or shapes, their experience with the book. “They create their own stories for what the illustrations mean to them,” Nicole says. “They make it their own story.” The book is meant to give the reader space to think and a place to process emotions.

Nicole has worked at NER a little over a year and does overnights. She also has her own company selling her books and her art. She is currently at work on a children’s book and is working on getting other books she’s done into local independent bookstores. “Mind the Blackhole” is her fourth book. She’s also interested in going back to school for psychology. “I need to find time in my life to make that happen,” she says. In the meantime, she’s hoping to become certified as a mental health peer support specialist through the Department of Human Services.

Illustrations from Nicole’s book

How did the idea for the book come about? “I like to create things that are accessible,” Nicole says. “You don’t need to know how to read to use it. It can be used to express things that are more emotional and less grounded in words. I’ve learned how to express myself in alternative ways. I noticed my own sketchbooks told a story, unintentionally. I scribbled my thoughts and filled it in later. I harnessed that.” Nicole hopes the book will be a helpful tool for others, too.

“One person told me they couldn’t read it but could color it,” Nicole says. “I intentionally leave a blank page across from every drawing so people can write or draw their own thoughts; they can use it as a sketchbook. That’s what makes it an interpretive novel. Kids have enjoyed it and have interesting viewpoints on it. It’s been interesting to hear what they have to say.”

Nicole says working with people in direct support has taught her the importance of giving people space for their own reality and autonomy. “I try to encapsulate that in my art, giving people space for internal thought. There are parallels.”

Nicole self-published “Mind the Blackhole.” Her pen name is Luna Sees. The book is available on Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

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