A Note from Allison: Thriving at New Hope

29 Jun A Note from Allison: Thriving at New Hope

Hello New Hope Friends,

Spring is a time of renewal and new growth, but summer is a time to thrive. At New Hope of Indiana, we are excited to be thriving in so many ways!

This month, New Hope was named an IndyStar Top Workplace for the third year in a row! While this achievement alone would be great news, it is especially rewarding this year. The Top Workplace award is determined entirely by the feedback of New Hope associates through an anonymous survey that uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization. This year, New Hope ranked in the top 25% of all organizations surveyed in three of these culture drivers:

What we are most excited about, however, is the long-term effects of this award. Specifically, a great workplace inspires great work. At New Hope, that further translates to higher quality support and service and, ultimately, happier individuals served.

Anyone who has been following New Hope’s story knows that COVID-19 hit our organization hard and was incredibly tough on our associates. For me, this award is truly a testament to how strong #TeamNewHope is when we work together. Thanks to all of our leaders and associates for ensuring that through all the challenges that came with the pandemic, New Hope’s unique culture remains intact and our teams continue to learn and grow together.

We are also celebrating the state of #TeamNewHope’s health. Since January 28th, New Hope has had only two cases of COVID-19 among our associates and zero among our clients! With this in mind, we are excited to begin utilizing a hybrid working schedule for our associates who work in our Payne Road offices. After the July 4th holiday, those associates will be able to enjoy a flexible schedule that allows them to work in the office and at home to maximize open communication and the effectiveness of our teams. We know that many of our associates are looking forward to getting back to the office and to share the same space as one another again and we are so excited to be able to do so safely.

We are also thankful to the many associates and families who are helping us honor 11 members of our New Hope community who we have lost since the beginning of the pandemic who we were not able to celebrate because of pandemic restrictions. A recording of these celebrations will be available upon request for friends or family who are unable to attend.

As we prepare for July, we are also preparing for the end of an era at New Hope. This year, we have decided not to renew our existing contract with the Indiana Division of Child Services (DCS) for community services. Effective July 1, we will be discontinuing services in the home based counseling program including therapy and case management services. This contract has been in place for 19 years under the leadership of Kathy Ballard and a team of dedicated and caring associates. Kathy will continue leading several other programs for New Hope. We thank everyone who has worked tirelessly in the program for their contributions. We especially wish the current associates in the program best wishes in the next chapter of their careers.

As always, I am amazed by the support and care given to our organization and to our mission from New Hope associates and friends like you. Thank you for sticking by us and for continuing to be a part of New Hope’s story. Stay safe and thrive this summer!

-Allison