Each month, we will recognize two DSPs of the Month as well as a Program Manager of the Month. We are thankful for all the ways they bring the best of themselves to those they support and their colleagues. Please join us in celebrating them:

April DSPs of the Month: Claire Umuhoza & William (Bill) Pugh

Claire

Claire Umuhoza [Duluth] – Claire is the Lead DSP at our Duluth home, and she is an incredibly valuable member of the team here! When Duluth was in-between Program Managers, Claire stepped-up amazingly – Claire became even more involved with scheduling and running medical appointments, training staff on best practices for supporting the women at Duluth, and making sure everyone has what they need. Claire exemplifies person-centeredness, as she involves and encourages the women at the home as much as possible. Claire is very well-regarded from all associated with Duluth – ranging from the ladies at Duluth, her coworkers, and the families/guardians of the women at the home. Claire is someone who recognizes the need to take care of “business first, but then leans into the fun.” With Claire being so instrumental in the day-to-day care of the women at the home, ensuring that all medical appointments are up-to-date, keeping the home clean, and preparing meals (along with doing so ahead of time & then freezing for future use) – Claire is very deserving of being one of our April ‘DSPs of the Month.’ Congratulations, Claire!

Bill

Bill Pugh [Plymouth Colony] – Bill has long been a terrific staff at our organization – Bill shines as one of the Lead DSPs at our Plymouth Colony apartment program, and when working shifts at other programs, Bill carries-over that same work ethic and person-centered focus! Bill is known for being passionate about the people we support, and he routinely goes out of his way to accommodate the unique needs of each person, along with coming up with creative ways to get people involved in activities (including folks that are not as keen on socializing, etc.) – about three years ago, Bill instituted a “Movie Night” every Friday night at Plymouth Colony, and this has been very well-received and well-attended! Bill has also started a health challenge at Plymouth Colony, in which many of the people supported at Plymouth Colony are participating in, and he has been very encouraging to the men and women at this program (where he will also reward them with a certificate to commemorate their personal progress). Plymouth Colony, as well as our organization as a whole, is very fortunate to have Bill as a staff member, and he without a doubt is a terrific choice as one of our April ‘DSPs of the Month.’ Congratulations Bill!

April Program Manager of the Month: Carin Callanan

Carin

Please join us in congratulating Bailey Ridge’s Carin Callanan, our Program Manager of the Month for April! Program Managers are at the heart of our residential services, providing leadership, support, and encouragement to both staff and the people we serve. We appreciate Carin’s commitment to Bailey Ridge and the positive impact she makes each day. Thank you for all you do, Carin, and congratulations on this well-deserved honor!

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Each month, we will recognize two DSPs of the Month as well as a Program Manager of the Month. We are thankful for all the ways they bring the best of themselves to those they support and their colleagues. Please join us in celebrating them:

March DSPs of the Month: Neville Njeffah & Jill Cameron

Neville

Neville Njeffah [Hugo A] – Neville is one of Hammer & NER’s DSPs at our Hugo A home, and he has done a terrific job as part of this staff team! Neville has stepped-up in various ways – including taking extra care to support the hygiene & bedroom cleanliness for one of the men who live at Hugo A, and paying very close attention to the needs, etc. of all of the men at the home, in order for them to be as well-cared for as possible. Neville is a go-getter, who is always looking to stay busy and complete various tasks – whether that’s doing his part so the home is as clean as possible or just finding something productive to do that serves to have a positive impact on the guys at Hugo A and/or the staff team that works there as a whole! Neville is greatly appreciated by both the men at Hugo A & his coworkers, and as a result of his great work, he is one of our ‘DSPs of the Month’ for March – congratulations, Neville!

Jill

Jill Cameron [Vicksburg Village] – Jill has been with Hammer & NER for years, and she has been excelling in her current role of Lead DSP at our Vicksburg Village apartment program! Jill has long been known for helping out wherever she can, and on top of her usual Lead DSP duties, she has been stepping-up even more at Vicksburg for months now – while Vicksburg’s Program Manager Leah Burditt has been out on maternity leave, Jill has taken on numerous tasks to make sure that everyone who lives at Vicksburg is having their needs met, along with getting all of the necessary items complete so things are business as usual at this program. Along with keeping things running as smooth as possible for the day-to-day, Jill has handled the medical appointments, grocery shopping, arranging activities/outings in the community, getting taxes in for the folks at Vicksburg – the list could go on & on! Jill has been instrumental in ensuring things remain status quo at Vicksburg, and considering her hard-work and determination, she is one of our ‘DSPs’ of the Month’ for March – congratulations, Jill!

March Program Manager of the Month: Jacob Snell

Jacob

Hammer & NER has the fortune of having Program Managers with years of experience leading our residential programs, and one of our stellar long-term Program Managers is Royal Oaks’ Jacob Snell! Jacob not only cares deeply for all of the men and women who reside at our Royal Oaks apartment program, but he is known for being incredibly supportive to everyone that is part of our organization – including (but not limited to) his staff team at Royal Oaks, his fellow Program Managers, and his Program Director. Jacob continually steps-in to assist whenever and wherever he can – a recent example of Jacob’s selflessness is Jacob getting up very early in the morning (5am!) to drive someone to an appointment in Downtown Minneapolis, and this was for someone that resides at one of our other programs, as Jacob had kindly volunteered to assist! Jacob is incredibly trusted by the people we support at Royal Oaks, along with the staff team there, and it is an understatement to say that he is beloved – Jacob has long had the skill of being able to excel at his job using a blend of determination, empathy, and humor. In the words of Jacob’s supervisor (Program Director Sam Ramsdell), Sam notes that “I feel incredibly grateful to have him as part of my team,” and we are collectively grateful for Jacob, our ‘PM of the Month’ for March. Congratulations, Jacob!

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Each month, we will recognize two DSPs of the Month as well as a Program Manager of the Month. We are thankful for all the ways they bring the best of themselves to those they support and their colleagues. Please join us in celebrating them:

February DSPs of the Month: Twahirwa Annicet & Zakiy Mohamud

Annicet

Twahirwa Annicet [5th Street] – Annicet is a DSP who not only does exemplary work in their role at 5th Street, but also does fantastic work at other homes as well! One of Annicet’s biggest strengths is their strong work ethic, and they consistently go above-and-beyond – while maintaining a positive, respectful attitude at all times. In addition to these aforementioned qualities, Annicet excels at working with the people we serve, whether at 5th Street or another one of our homes – Annicet exhibits patience, compassion, and person-centeredness while also ensuring the safety and dignity of those we support. Annicet genuinely cares for the people that we serve, and that is made evident every single time that they work. Annicet’s impact does not stop at those we support, as their contributions also lend to a high degree of teamwork and reliability, which is such a benefit for the staff team(s) as a whole! Annicet’s hard work and dedication has led to such a positive impact on those supported at our programs and the respective staff teams at every home they work at, and they wholeheartedly deserve to be one of the DSPs of the Month for February – congratulations, Annicet!

Zakiy

Zakiy Mohamud [Wentworth] – Zakiy represents countless admirable characteristics in a great DSP, and he has become a very important member of the Wentworth staff team (currently in the role of Lead DSP), along with making quite a positive impact when picking-up at other programs as well! Zakiy is known for going the extra mile wherever he is working, and he works incredibly well with the men at Wentworth (as well as the folks at any other program that he works shifts at!). Zakiy is someone who always asks what he can do next to help, and he is eager to learn how to do new and additional tasks. Not only does Zakiy excel at completing routine assignments such as keeping the home clean and tidy, he keeps the men at Wentworth engaged in fun things – including games and other preferred activities! As noted previously, along with Zakiy’s consistent awesomeness at Wentworth, he has done a great job at other programs as well – one shining example is when he has picked-up at our ReNew apartment program, when his 1:1 shift working with one of the people at ReNew did not go according to plan, he took it upon himself to seek-out other items he can help with and keep busy throughout that shift, where he still made an undoubtedly positive impact during that shift at ReNew. With all of this being said, it is not surprise that Zakiy is one of our DSPs of the Month for February – congratulations, Zakiy!

February Program Manager of the Month: Saffrona (Soffi) Carlson

Soffi

Being a Program Manager requires a varied and extensive skillset, and Soffi Carlson (Program Manager at Lee Avenue) is someone who fits this bill (and more)! Soffi is lauded for her creativity and the way she facilitates stellar teamwork – additionally, Soffi supports her fellow Program Managers in a variety of ways, including assisting her peers with organization and increasing their confidence in their roles, while also contributing to them feeling as supported as possible. The men and women supported Lee Ave have various health/medical needs – in which Soffi excels at advocating for their respective needs, as well as doing research and educating herself so she has ample knowledge on their individual diagnoses. Soffi is always striving for improvement wherever/whenever possible, and she succeeds at communicating with her staff team (who appreciate & have plenty of positive things to say about their leader!), along with communicating with the families whose loved ones reside at Lee Ave. With all of these special things about Soffi, it is no wonder why she is our ‘PM of the Month’ for February – congratulations, Soffi!

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Each month, we will recognize two DSPs of the Month as well as a Program Manager of the Month. We are thankful for all the ways they bring the best of themselves to those they support and their colleagues. Please join us in celebrating them:

January DSPs of the Month: Kristine Dennison & Ikechukwu (Sam) Ofulue 

Kristine

Kristine Dennison [Arcade] – Since joining the staff team at our Arcade home, Kristine has made an immeasurable impact on the lives of the men here within her role as a Lead DSP! Kristine makes sure that the men at Arcade are going out in their community with regularity, as well as involving the guys in daily tasks at the home such as cleaning, general household chores, and cooking meals – in support of these endeavors, Kristine created a chore chart for the men to follow, as well as facilitating the guys getting to plan a fun activity of choice regularly. Additionally, Kristine stepped-up in several different ways when Arcade was in-between Program Managers – including being involved with guardian/family communication, having input on the goals of the men at the home, and just ensuring that all of the necessary things were being completed! Kristine puts a priority on person-centeredness, she gets things done and makes plenty of room for fun in the process, and as a result, she is one of our DSPs of the month for January – congratulations, Kristine!

Sam

Ikechukwu (Sam) Ofulue [Jordan] – Sam is someone that exudes many of the qualities that make a terrific DSP, and he plays an integral role on the staff team at our Jordan home! Sam treats the men who live Jordan like family, and this is evident in so many different ways – whether it is making sure that the men look their absolute best, finding things for the guys to do that they would highly enjoy (and going above-and-beyond to make these activities/outings happen), or just advocating for them frequently – Sam’s treatment of the men at Jordan is nothing short of stellar. In addition to the above, Sam has made an extraordinary effort to prepare very nutritional food for the men here, and he has gotten the guys to try a variety of foods that they otherwise may not have eaten! Along with Sam’s amazing support of the men at Jordan, he keeps the home quite clean, his communication and the updates that he provides are informative for his fellow staff at Jordian, and he consistently exhibits good judgement, which all leads to Sam being a well-deserving choice as one of the DSPs of the month for January – congratulations, Sam!

January Program Manager of the Month: Jason Sauer

Jason

Hammer & NER is fortunate to have many Program Managers leading our programs with a high level of steadiness and consistency, and one Program Manager that particularly stands-out in this way is Jason Sauer (Program Manager at Lake Place)! In the words of his supervisor, Program Director Jay Butler, Jason exhibits a “quiet leadership” where he is regularly “offering support and solving problems,” as well as regularly being “ahead of the curve” within his role. Jay also notes that Jason is widely known as a “technology leader” among our Program Managers, and Jason’s expertise in the technology space has been a great benefit to the work that he does, along with the assistance that he provides to his fellow Hammer & NER employees in this area. The people we support at Lake Place, the staff team there, and many others within our organization have benefitted from Jason and his unique skillset, and that has made him a worthy recipient of ‘PM of the Month’ – congratulations, Jason!

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When Mitch and Judy Marie Ringe began thinking about their son Chris’s future, they knew they needed to find a place where he could thrive long after they were no longer able to provide daily support. In 2017, Chris moved into a Hammer & NER group home, and the experience has been, in Mitch’s words, “fabulous ever since.”

Chris quickly found his stride—working at Lunds & Byerlys, competing year-round in Special Olympics, and building strong friendships, including with his longtime girlfriend, also supported at Hammer & NER. “If Hammer & NER’s goal is to help people achieve the best life possible, Chris has that,” Mitch shares. “He epitomizes Hammer & NER’s vision of quality of life.”

Mitch and Judy Marie at the launch event of our Campaign, Together, We Ensure Tomorrow

That deep personal connection has fueled Mitch and Judy Marie’s active involvement. Judy Marie volunteers regularly, and Mitch joined the Board of Directors three years ago, now serving as Board President. For the Ringes, supporting Hammer & NER is both a way to give back and a way to ensure Chris and his housemates continue to receive the best possible care.

“From the beginning, it’s always been important for us to support the people who support Chris,” Mitch says. “The staff are outstanding, and everything Hammer & NER does is focused on helping people live their best lives.”

That belief is also why Mitch and Judy Marie have committed to Hammer & NER’s fundraising campaign, which is focused on preparing for the future needs of the people served. Mitch notes that as individuals with disabilities age, they often experience health challenges earlier and may require greater levels of care. “For Chris and others, that future may come sooner than we think,” he says. “This campaign ensures we’ll be ready—with homes that are accessible, staff who are equipped, and resources in place to continue providing excellent care.”

Chris relaxing in an Adirondack chair that he and Mitch crafted

Looking ahead, Mitch sees both challenges and opportunities. On the near horizon are uncertainties around state and federal funding, but longer term, the organization must prepare for an aging population and the need for new, innovative care models. “Hammer & NER has always been forwardthinking,” he says, pointing to the apartment program as an example. “We need to keep that spirit alive as we plan for the next century.”

For Mitch, his vision for Hammer & NER’s future is rooted in gratitude and hope. “Judy Marie and I know Chris will outlive us,” he says. “What gives us peace of mind is knowing Hammer & NER will continue to be there—keeping him safe, active, and living the best life possible. That’s what this campaign is about.”

In his free time, Mitch loves reading, traveling, hiking, and being outdoors and on the water. He plans to retire soon and is looking forward to seeing what the next adventure is.

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