Staff Highlight: Michelle

Meet Michelle! A veteran on the team, she’s been with Cornerstone for 16 years. She has worn many hats over the years, starting as a receptionist and is now the Chief Operating Officer. She says one of things she’s most proud of through the years is helping develop the Healthy Homes programs which served over 1,300 families last year.

As a wife and mother herself, she knows how important it is for children have access to healthy food and nutrition programs. Someone who gardens herself, she helped create the community gardens at each of Cornerstone’s eight properties. She’s also a driving force behind the Active Teens, Active Kids, Kids in the Kitchen, and Extra Helping programs.

“You know that moment where you see the look of relief when someone comes in worried that they might not have enough that week and it’s that sense of relief you see come over them.”–said Michelle.

Michelle says they base their programs on research that the more positive influences a child encounters early on in life, they better chance they have for success. Through their programs, she says their staff was able to make up 30 of the 40 necessary positive contacts children need.