Staff Spotlight: Michelle becomes a stand-out, empathetic leader at the Torres Community Shelter
At True North, we change the lives of homeless people in Butte County. We couldn’t do that without our team of dedicated, hardworking staff members.
One such employee, our Lead Monitor Michelle, has made a vital impact within our organization and our community. As she moves on to the next chapter in her career, we are highlighting her hard work and dedication to our mission of helping move people forward with compassion, dignity and accountability.
An unforgettable experience
It’s a moment Michelle won’t forget.
She was exercising and suddenly, a woman stopped her to talk.
Michelle recognized her as someone who used to be a guest at the Torres Community Shelter, where Michelle has worked for the past two years as a monitor.
The woman excitedly gave Michelle an update on her life, telling her she is housed and has a job she loves. Then, the woman continued by telling Michelle that when they met, she was going through one of the darkest times of her life. Michelle’s calm, empathetic approach and steady encouragement helped her continue to fight and move forward.
Thank you, she said. You don’t know the impact you have had on me.
Being able to make such a profound difference in people’s lives is the reason why Michelle came to True North Housing Alliance in the first place.
That’s why it has been so tough for her to say goodbye.
Michelle graduated from Chico State this spring with her bachelor’s in social work, and will be moving on to the next chapter in her life. She plans to continue working hard to make a difference, however, just in a different field. She will be pursuing vocational training to become a certified life coach.
During her time with True North, Michelle has learned so much about true empathy and the challenges people face when experiencing homelessness, she said. That will always stay with her.
“There’s just so many barriers and obstacles. It’s not always as easy as it sounds [to move forward],” Michelle said. “It really is about your support system. We become that support system for them.”
Taking the lead
When Michelle first walked through the doors at the Torres Community Shelter in May 2018, she was a shy Chico State student volunteer who knew she wanted to make a difference in her community.
Once she began volunteering with True North, getting to know our guests at the shelter, her drive to make a difference only grew stronger. She felt compelled to spend more time working alongside the shelter team in order to help people move forward and out of homelessness.
“I wanted to have a bigger impact on these people’s lives,” she said.
She applied for a full-time position as a monitor. Monitors manage a variety of important tasks, including doing intake interviews, ensuring that guests are following all rules and safety policies, and performing crisis intervention and de-escalation.
Michelle was a shoe-in for the job. Brittiney, a case manager for True North, trained Michelle in those early days. She described Michelle as a quick learner who has helped create a positive, upbeat atmosphere at the shelter while also taking accountability seriously.
“She does her best to ensure policy is being followed with a tremendous amount of compassion and empathy,” Brittiney said.
Though unsure at first, Michelle blossomed into a confident leader, excelling at the position. She was promoted to a lead monitor a year after she was hired.
“She truly is a leader that will do the smallest of tasks, working in the trenches, but also make those hard decisions that no one else wants to make,” said Jacque, True North’s Senior Operations Manager.
Michelle reflects on her time at True North and the people and experiences she will never forget.
A lasting impact
As Michelle moves on to her next chapter, she said there is so much she will miss about her time with True North. It all comes down to the people: Her coworkers, who she considers family, and the guests, who also have inspired her to become a better person, she said.
Working with those experiencing homelessness has taught her so much about approaching others with empathy. Meeting every guest where they are at in their journey has helped her understand what they have been through and how to help them move forward.
“Stepping out of myself and putting myself in their shoes has really changed me,” Michelle said.
As she pursues her next career, she wants to continue to make a difference, help people move forward and make positive changes in their lives.
“I feel very thankful for working here, for being able to be that inspiration to the guests' lives and be a leader to the staff members here,” she said. “I learned so much and it’s built who I am.”
Michelle’s vibrancy, energy and dedication will be missed by our team. She has not only been an excellent employee but a great friend.
“Michelle moving on is a big loss, but we are so proud and excited to see her off as she begins a new chapter of her life,” Jacque said.
Michelle added: “It’s definitely not a job I’m going to forget, ever.”
Team True North celebrates Michelle on her last day.