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A Spirt to Admire - A Special Staff PersonDecember 22, 2021
We are so grateful to have wonderful employees !
Joana grew up in Ghana, Africa. When she was barely a teen,
her younger sister contracted a disease that left her deaf. Classmates teased
or bullied her sister, and early on Joana was struck by this insensitivity and
saw the importance of sticking up for people and helping them be accepted and
fit in.
Joana’s family was unable to afford her dream of an
education to be a nurse after high school, but she parlayed a gift of a sewing
machine to sew thigs to make money, and even helped other graduates learn the
trade too. Eventually, Joana immigrated to America, taking her hardworking and
kind spirit with her.
“I want people to be comfortable, to be ready to go out in
the community, be met with smiles, and not be left out,” Joana says, explaining
that helping people meet the world with dignity is important. She also helps
them find joy in daily living by doing activities like lunch at a park, going
grocery shopping, going to a movie or doing some hobby or art at home. “I love
to cook and try new recipes too, so residents can discover what they enjoy” she
says.
Joana lovingly accepts that each person has their own
interests, abilities and challenges. She has developed close relationships to
the people she supports and to their family members too, which is comforting
for family that does not live close by. Recently, Joana and Donna, a woman
residing in an apartment and receiving supports, enjoyed putting up a holiday
tree and decorations sent by Donna’s sister.
Joana has saved and paid to build a house in Ghana where one
day she will semi-retire and help her elderly mother. She envisions starting a
small business there, employing people to make water bags for homes in a
community where the water supply isn’t reliable.
“Family is everything,” Joana is often heard to say, and she
brings that outlook to her role at the DDRC apartment residences. She also
brings that outlook to her interactions and warm encouragement to the newer
DDRC IRSS staff who she describes in glowing terms. No doubt she serves as a
positive example: “This job is not just because you need money. This is a job
where you enjoy helping people. You need to have heart,” she says. We are so
fortunate that we have people like Joana Appiah whose amazing heart helps us
achieve our mission!