NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A new group that is looking to help people get on their feet and find resources is having its open house on Wednesday at 1021 North Main, Suite D3. Shawna Logue is the Director of Hand Up Hutch.
"I've been a case manager for quite a while, but this particular thing, I had a friend that, when I was working at another place, he went with me, and he goes, you get paid to do this?" Logue said. "I was like, yeah. He was like, I wish I could do this. I said, why couldn't you? Because I have a rap sheet. I was like, I repeat, why can't you? He goes, I repeat, I got a rap sheet. I said, well, you can't work at DCF, but you could be a case manager. You can do things to help the community. I thought, if he doesn't realize this, I'm sure there's others that don't realize this. A lot of people don't realize how much education is actually free."
A case manager will work with new clients to identify resource needs (such as food, shelter, employment, and healthcare) for a maximum of 90 days to understand needs and goals and remove roadblocks to that end. Board President Austin Mason is glad to be able to help and to tell others his story.
"Being released after 20 and a half years in prison, not having nothin, not having nobody out here, being able to give back to the community," Mason said. "The help that I've received, the help that I've gotten through this with Shawna has been a major, major playback for me to be able to show other people that, hey, you know, you're not the only ones out here. If you're struggling, there's people out here that's walked the same walk, if not worse walks, that can actually do it out here."
Upon successful accomplishment of goals, the case manager will check in on the client every 3-6 months to ensure continued success. After clients have achieved stability through Hand Up’s program - or through another similar program - they will be able to shadow a case manager for 3 months as part of the give-back component of Hand Up. Hand Up will work with probation and courts so this may qualify as community service.
"A lot of people get stuck in a rut," Logue said. "This is just to show that you can make a decision and change things. It also betters the community. When people can get better jobs, they're not committing crimes, they're not out doing drugs, they're paying their bills and paying their taxes and doing what they are supposed to."
Upon successful completion of the shadowing period Hand Up will identify a client career path such as social work or other opportunities and guide clients along their new career path. Find out more at their open house, or on their website at https://handuphutch.com/.
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