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CHS News

You are THE Difference @ CHS!

Recruitment

Like many others, Marli’s hard work ethic went unnoticed at her previous employer. This affected her self-esteem, especially with the high demand and pressure she faced. Time and time again, it’s been proven that recognition and well-rounded benefits boost employee morale greatly! Taking care of our employees comes first, so that they can do their best in caring and supporting others in turn.

Marli found Cooperative for Human Services in her search for a new role. She gave us a call to discuss the roles we had available. Marli then felt that she would be a good candidate for a career in management and decided to move forward with applying @ CHS. Today, we have awesome employees like Marli. We let them know their hard work is truly appreciated by us and the families that they support.

Feel like you’re fit for a role @ Cooperative for Human Services? Let’s talk! Call us at (781)879-9339 to ask about career opportunities. Or, jump right into our online application on the careers page here: Careers Page Here.

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Want a Rewarding Career?

Recruitment

Thea started to feel that her old job was unrewarding. According to her, her work was never recognized. Even though she was a loyal team member, her years of hard work unfortunately had no payoff.

In her job hunt, she found us, Cooperative for Human Services. Our mission that aligned with her value of helping others made her apply for a role here. She saw a career path where there was room to grow! And of course, being rewarded for aiding those who need it most is always a win-win in her book! Making a positive difference in someone else’s life is extremely important to Thea as she has received help from others in the community. This is her way of giving back.

Not only is there an opportunity to grow with us, but we want our staff to be comfortable—to be themselves and belong. @ CHS, we take care of our staff so that they, in turn, can take care of others.

An Easy Choice: Help Those Who Need It Most

Recruitment

Kaiya did some rethinking on her career path. She decided that she wanted to be in a role that lined up with her values. Her goal has always been to be a strong community member and give back in any way that she could. She wanted to guide those who needed a helping hand. Everyone deserves a support system!

When Kaiya saw management roles available @ CHS, she applied right away as our mission and beliefs resonated with her. We’re proud of our team members like Kaiya, who continue to show they care.

Want to see yourself in a field where you can also help others? Begin applying online to Cooperative for Human Services on our Careers Page Here!

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At CHS, We Recognize Your Talents

Recruitment

Malaika was in a position where she didn’t feel like she fit in well or belonged. Work was always the same and not engaging. It felt like her work often went unrewarded. She wanted to be part of something bigger and do more for her community!

Malaika found us, Cooperative at Human Services, and decided to give Katie a call to discuss the roles available. Management roles here piqued her interest so she applied, eager to transition to a new part of her life.

We’re so excited to have passionate people like Malaika join our team and give back to the community. Here, we recognized the time, care, and effort our employees put in!

See yourself in a role that can support your local community, too? Join us @ CHS! We’d love to discuss the opportunities we have available with you. Call Katie at (781)879-9339. Begin your online application on our Careers Page Here. Follow our social media and blog for other stories! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Be The Difference!

Recruitment

Samuel has always felt the need to make a difference. He valued uplifting others throughout his life and thought, why not through his career as well?

He took a giant leap of faith and applied to a role in management with us, Cooperative for Human Services! Our online application was easy to fill, giving him some confidence along the way. Now he has a place to make a difference.

All of our staff are hardworking folks who want to make a change in themselves and others. It’s about empowerment for our clients AND our team members.

Want to make a difference, too? Better yet, do you want to be THE difference, too? We value supporting each other, responsibility, ethics, and learning. Check out more of our mission and to see if we’re a perfect fit for you.

If you’re interested in joining us,

please check out our Careers Page or call (781)879-9339 and ask for Katie!

We look forward to hearing from you.

Don’t forget to follow our social media or blog for other stories like Samuel’s!
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Make the Choice & Rethink Your Life!

Recruitment

Rethink Your Life & apply today!

Jamal rethought his career path. He wanted something more to better support his family while only having to maintain one job. To him, family comes first! No more balancing multiple jobs. Less back and forth means he can now spend time with his family while being financially stable.

Cooperative for Human Services has several management roles currently available. We support our staff and provide stable careers so that you can have a balanced lifestyle. Make the choice for starting a new life with us—somewhere you can be yourself and belong.

Interested in a management role with us? Applying  online is easy and has never been easier! To do so, visit our careers page to get started here: https://cooperativeforhs.org/careers

Want to hear more? Follow our blog and social media for stories like Jamal’s:
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CHS Heroes, Recognized

News

As we continue to navigate through our new normal, we are hearing some great stories about our CHS Team that we think are worth sharing. We will continue to post stories as we learn about them. We honor our employees, our heroes, for their dedication, strong values and great hearts. We think you will too.

Maintenance Team: Peter Chappelle, Devin Ibanez, Tim Nihan, Leo Rosa

On a typical week, our CHS Maintenance Team includes Peter and Devin. Responsibilities range from all types of indoor and outdoor work that can include painting, moving furniture and everything in between.

All that changed in March 2020. The Maintenance Team transitioned into our Covid-19 Team doubling in size with a more critical, focused role. Led by Ed Napier, Director of Maintenance, the team brought on Tim and Leo from other areas of the agency, now tasked with prioritizing work to support and insure the safety and well-being of our Individuals and staff.

The First Initiative

The team quickly identified that our infrastructure needed to be adjusted to establish safety protocols for all interactions. A distribution process was created to insure a no-contact delivery/pick up system between the team and programs. Large plastic containers were positioned outside of each home and used for drop off of medications, groceries, PPE and homemade masks from friends and neighbors. The team learned how to grocery shop for large households, transport individuals and staff to/from appointments and safe outdoor activities. And, of course after each transport, the vehicles were sanitized in preparation for the next travelers.

Next was handling all the fix-it jobs that are typically completed by our contractors. Entering each residence now required suiting up in full PPE gear to complete repairs. The team quickly learned how to troubleshoot and fix small appliances and plumbing, landscape at the farm and houses, clean and disinfect homes and some of our office spaces.

This team epitomizes what we call Heroes. They understand the work they do is important, why it is important, and accepted the challenge and rose to the occasion. We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and selflessness this team has shown. Thank you Peter, Devin, Tim and Leo for helping us through one of the most challenging situations of our lifetime.

This Little Piggy . . . Came To Jackson Farm!

News, Uncategorized

Welcome to two-year-old Mamie, the newest member of Cooperative for Human Services’ small animal therapy team, based at Jackson Farm. Along with Rambo the rabbit and our three new baby guinea piglets, April, May and June, Mamie is a one-of-a-kind Vietnamese pot bellied pig. She epitomizes the values of CHS — a gentle, friendly being who is working to achieve a fulfilling and inspiring life that encompasses community and healthy lifestyle.

As a baby, Mamie was shipped from her breeders in Texas to live with a family in Franklin, MA. Unfortunately, her owners did not know how to care for a pot bellied pig, so she was not given outdoor space to exercise, root, or wallow, and was fed doughnuts, cookies, and fast food.  At 200 pounds, her owners could no longer keep her, so they brought her to the MSPCA’s Nevins Farm in September 2018 to wait for a new, forever home. This is where CHS stepped in.

On Tuesday, January 22, 2019, CHS farm staff brought Mamie to her new home https://www.boston.com/news/animals/2019/01/24/amy-pig-mspca-adopted in a cozy, pig-outfitted stall in the big barn at Jackson Farm. She bravely withstood single-digit temperatures on her very first weekend with us, burrowed under the hay inside a tent of blankets that we added for extra insulation. On Friday the sun finally shone and our Mamie ventured out of the barn to explore her new  home. She wandered over to the goats and hens, snorting and sniffling, comfortably spending time with the other animals. She lingered in the field, seeming to delight in the warmth of the sunshine.

Mamie and all of us at CHS have some work to do to help this special pig:  She came to us 80 pounds overweight. The extra fat makes it hard for her to move, makes her depressed and lethargic, taxes her organs, joints, and systems, and obstructs her vision. We have committed to supporting her to address her special needs, with appropriate food, plenty of outdoor space to root, wallow, and roam, and daily piggy aerobics with farm staff or any residents or guests who come by and want to participate.  

The barn door is open all day and she has the entire field to roam in; hens, goats, bunnies, guinea pigs, staff, residents, and guests to visit; and a warm stall to return to at night. The more she can exercise, the sooner her health will improve. The more company, the happier our friendly pig will be.  Soon she’ll be able to enjoy a healthy pig lifestyle, and will add so much to our animal therapy program.

We intend to walk with her to help her regain her health, to scratch her behind the ears, or to toss a ball back and forth with her.  She’ll reward you with a wagging tail, a shiver of excitement, rolling over so you can rub her belly, and the affection and attention that make Vietnamese pot bellied pigs such good pets, loyal friends, and well-trained therapy animals.

Food Pantry Program Expands

Uncategorized

Cooperative for Human Services continues to provide services and supports to an ever-increasing number of individuals in their homes and CHS residential programs. In November 2017, the organization established a Food Pantry to provide people served with no-cost food so that everyone has access to good nutrition and healthy options.

Recently, the organization expanded its partnership with the Food Donation Connection, a national non-profit matching company, and began to work directly with two well-known hospitality destinations, The Cheesecake Factory and Chipotle Restaurants, Burlington, MA. These partnerships increase the company’s ability to offer pre-cooked food and dinner entrees to individuals who may have poor cooking skills or are attempting to successfully manage a meager food budget.

The Food Pantry continued to expand its food distribution this summer when the organization doubled the size and capacity of its organic vegetable gardens. The company’s urban garden plot in Malden, MA also yielded a larger variety of vegetables that were distributed through the Food Pantry. In both locations, individuals learned about growing, nurturing and harvesting fresh produce as well as how to incorporate fresh vegetables as part of their daily food intake.

Several long-standing CHS cooking groups benefited from the Food Pantry and the garden-fresh produce.  Participants eagerly awaited vegetable deliveries which then influenced menu choices for what was to be prepared for that evening. People not only prepared the food, but also communed over good food and transported food home for another meal later in the week.

Through the Food Pantry, individuals have an opportunity to be introduced to new dining experiences that are often times outside the scope of their normal weekly food budgets. Roasted duck, goose pate, chutney, organic yogurt and brie cheese are just a few examples.

Food security — having access to enough food for an active, healthy life, is one of the many important components that Cooperative For Human Services provides through its Food Pantry, expanded business partnerships and organic farming sites.

CHS Expands Acquired Brain Injuries Services into Urban Setting

Uncategorized

The Cooperative For Human Services opened its second home to support individuals with Acquired Brain
Injuries. The residence, located on Highland Avenue in Malden, MA, is occupied by individuals from the
local area which affords the residents opportunities to spend more time with friends and families as well
gain easy access to the vibrant, active urban culture offered by the city of Malden. The four-bedroom,
two-bathroom house applies all the best practices in assessable design to accommodate people with assistive medical devices such as wheelchairs, walkers and mechanical lifts. The home’s layout includes a solarium where individuals can visit with guests or just enjoy a quiet space for reading and a self-serve coffee/tea bar in the kitchen area.

Financially and clinically eligible individuals in the ABI Waiver program funded by the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts are most often living in long-term care facilities or rehabilitation hospitals and require
24-hour residential supports. Their diagnoses may include injury from motor vehicle accidents, falls,
gunshot wounds, drug overdose, or stroke, for instance. Other qualifying diagnoses include Multiple
Sclerosis and Huntington’s Disease and many individuals have multiple medical complexities as well as
some degree of mobility impairment. Relocating back into the community is a multi-step transition
process that varies in length and complexity based on each individual’s unique needs.

A team of clinical and healthcare coordination managers from the Cooperative For Human Services
works in tandem with DDS Service Coordinators to first meet the individuals, learn their unique stories
and assess their specific needs. Family involvement is an important component of the process and
family members help to determine when and how the individuals will transition into the community.
Once the decision to relocate has been made by the individuals, a transition plan is jointly developed
and executed by the CHS team prior to their arrival into their new home. The plan includes visits to the
house, numerous social events designed to introduce new house mates, shopping for household goods,
decision support about lifestyle choices and answers to many questions and concerns before moving
day.

Once moving day arrives, the house is fully prepared and trained staff are ready to receive the new
residents. It’s a busy day for everyone and as individuals exercise their right to make choices and
express preferences, the individuals and staff begin to learn more about each other forming new
relationships and the foundation to friendships.

At Highland Avenue, moving day was exciting. But what made it even more memorable is that everyone
celebrated the Boston Red Sox 2018 World Series Championship!

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Cooperative for Human Services

Cooperative for Human Services