Service & Legacy
Barb Tuckner is a former Hammer Board member whose sister, Janet, who has been supported by Hammer since 1981.
And the Band Played On
Vern Steffel has always loved to make people smile. As the band leader of the Whoopie John Band Orchestra, he played venues across the upper Midwest and as far away as Bavaria. With a focus on old-time music, primarily polka, the band played to standing-room only...
Andrew & Josh – Fast Friends
Andrew Pollock began volunteering at Hammer Residences in 2018. He first heard about Hammer from someone he knew well who was currently volunteering at Hammer and highly recommended it. At the time, Andrew was looking for something to do outside of work, and he thought that volunteering at Hammer would be a fun opportunity.
A Look Back at Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic
In March 2020, the world changed forever as we faced one of the most significant challenges of the century: COVID-19. During the pandemic we locked down and cared for our 370 individuals 24/7. The people we supported were unable to go to their jobs. All specialized day programs were closed. Suddenly, we needed staff at our 68 homes all day. Many businesses and nonprofits closed, including several group homes similar to Hammer & NER, due to a lack of caregivers. We managed to stay the course as our mantra became: We cannot close!
Memories from the Dorms & the Downsizing
Jill Kunze is the Program Manager at our Black Oaks home and joined Hammer Residences in 1982, during a college internship. She worked on the girls’ floor of the dorms.
Sweet Memories of a Blended Family
In honor of Hammer’s 100th anniversary and NER’s 50th anniversary, we have published Legacies, a special anniversary magazine, celebrating our history, the people we have supported, and those who have made our mission possible all these years. Here is one of the...
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