Your Gifts At Work: I4HOPE Community Health Worker helps family feel at home

Many extraordinarily kind, caring people work as MetroHealth Community Health Workers (CHWs). Micheala Roby, a CHW in the Institute for H.O.P.E.™ School Health Program, is one of those people. Like her peers, she is outstanding at her job. In her role with the School Health Program, she connects Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) students and their families with resources available through MetroHealth and other community agencies.

Late last year, Micheala had the opportunity to help the Harris-Little family, who were experiencing homelessness. Micheala met the two children of the family after they enrolled at CMSD. A social services agency was helping the family find housing, but Micheala knew they didn’t have the things they needed to set up a home. So, she went to work helping them get a new refrigerator and gas range as well as other necessities like clothing and home furnishings.

“Anything I can do to help my community and build them up, I want to do it,” said Micheala, who lives in the same neighborhood as many of the students she serves at CMSD. “I have been homeless, and I know asking for help can be very hard. People can judge you. When I talk to people who are in need, that’s one of the things I lead with: Don’t be embarrassed. I’ve been there.”

Your gifts help community health workers continue to extend their care beyond the walls of our hospital to address the social drivers of help. To support community health workers and the Institute for H.O.P.E., make a donation today.