Beautiful Justice

By Marisa Geitner, president & C.E.O. of Heritage Christian Services

I’m honored to share this space with Dr. Beth Mount, who teaches we all have gifts – and that those gifts can and should be used in community. She is an activist and an artist, a quilter who uses fabric and stitches as a metaphor for weaving people together. May you find beauty in her words.

Beth…

My life's work of 40 years is devoted to the possibility that all people, particularly those with disabilities, are seen in the light of their capacities and possible vision. My community of friends and colleagues work steadily on many aspects of personal, neighborhood, organizational, and cultural change so that the hopes expressed by people and families have some concrete impact on the structures of society. This work has affirmed in me the belief that all people have gifts to bring, and that the fabric of community is strengthened when we incorporate the capacities of all people

I grew up in Atlanta during the civil rights movement and consequently had the privilege of living with the voice of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. calling us all to remember that, “We are all tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality.”

Dr. King’s beloved community is a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood and this will be accomplished thru the attainment of civil rights and mutually respectful relationships. Legal rights create the foundation for equal opportunity, however the vision of the beloved community invites personal and social relationships that are created by love—and these cannot be legislated. Dr. King describes this agape love as an “overflowing love seeking to preserve and create community.”  Undoubtedly, the people I know best benefit from and contribute to this art of relationship building and belonging.

The TEDx talk “Beautiful Justice” expresses the vision that people can work and belong to community regardless of their intellectual limitations and other constraints. We are all better together when we create new worlds for people that bring forth the best in all of us.

Appreciating families and their input

By Marisa Geitner, president & C.E.O. of Heritage Christian Services

At Heritage Christian we are so thankful for the rich support we receive from the family members and friends of those we serve.  Your input helps us focus on what matters most to each person, particularly when an individual has a challenging time communicating.

We are also grateful to those who took time to complete our family engagement survey. You reminded us that personalized support, good communication and consistency in staffing are key to providing excellent and dignified service. Please know we welcome your thoughts – not just on this survey but throughout the year. We are committed to improving because we are committed to your loved ones and our mission.

We have an agency full of creative, solution-focused staff members who work hard each day to digest feedback and plan for an approach that strengthens people’s relationships and builds their experiences. Why?  Because we have an agency full of people who see endless possibilities for the people we serve. Thank you for being part of that.

Learning about citizenship for all

By Marisa Geitner, president & C.E.O. of Heritage Christian Services

I’m committed to being a lifelong learner. I celebrate accomplishments, but I always search for ways to grow and improve – especially when it comes to the way we partner with people who are in need of our supports and services.  That’s why at Heritage Christian we’ve dedicated time and resources for some of our staff members to take an online course in Citizen Centered Leadership.

In the course, they learn about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, of belonging within a community, and they learn alongside those who receive services from our agency. For example, Joanie Parker, director of day services, and Tina Crandall, who is employed by Heritage Christian and also benefits from some of our services, meet weekly to discuss what they are learning and how our supports could improve.

“We look for things that are different in her life and mine that don’t need to be,” Joanie said while Tina nodded. Things like waiting until it is your turn to go out for the evening or having other people make doctors’ appointments for you when you’re capable of doing it on your own.

“I’m learning to speak up about myself,” said Tina, who likes to please people, even if it means she doesn’t get what she wants. “I want to run my own life.”

Already, Tina has told her parents and the people who work at her home that she wants to take a more active role in making decisions and start volunteering on her days off.

“It is helping me to be myself,” she said.

And that’s worth the extra studying and additional time. It’s worth it to all of us.

If you are interested in joining the conversation about citizenship, we’ll be hosting very casual “lunch and learns” every fourth Friday at both the main office and the regional office. Bring your lunch and we’ll start at noon.

Finding the lessons in adversity

Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has.

– the Rev. Billy Graham

 
By Marisa Geitner, president & C.E.O. of Heritage Christian Services

I recently attended a meeting with some of our agency’s leaders in the Buffalo area and I found myself inspired when we took an opportunity to offer prayer requests. As you might expect sharing those moments left us with heavy hearts, yet we also saw sincere and gentle smiles begin to emerge with the stories. 

Whether supporting someone through medical challenges, loss or day-to-day moments of frustration, there was one common experience: On those most challenging days we all seem to walk away with grateful hearts. 

Adversity has a way of stripping away all but the most essential. The phones go unanswered, the paperwork is set aside, and appointments and emails are ignored – all are irrelevant in the moment. Our full attention is directed to being there for those we love. It is food for our soul.  It nurtures and strengthens us, sharpening us for the next challenge and opportunity.  It reminds us of the importance of why we’re here.

 I am thankful each day to witness the pureness of our care for one another.  It is inspiring. Thank you.