I Made a Promise

LaDonna Paul, OPEN M Employment Services Manager

When LaDonna Paul found herself in the middle of a health crisis with no medical insurance 11 years ago, she turned to OPEN M’s free clinic where the staff and volunteers saved her life.

In February of 2010, she noticed a lump in her breast and knew she needed to seek medical attention. After recently being laid off, LaDonna was uninsured and not sure where to turn.

“I had heard of a wonderful place in the community that offered help to those without medical insurance, so I got on the internet and did my research and found OPEN M,” said LaDonna.

After being seen at OPEN M’s Medical Clinic and assessing the severity of the situation, volunteer physicians and nurses helped LaDonna get set up with specialists outside of the clinic. She underwent a procedure to have the lump removed, and on that day, she made a promise to herself.

“I vowed to myself that if there was ever a chance for me to help the place that got me through such a difficult time, I would do whatever it takes to give back,” said LaDonna.

Nine years later, she received the opportunity to live up to her promise. LaDonna caught wind that OPEN M was hiring an Employment Services Specialist and knew immediately that she had to apply. With a bachelor’s degree in both Business Management and Christian Counseling and working on a third in Criminal Justice, in addition to years of experience working with at-risk youth boys and counseling young girls for more than 15 years, this position seemed to be a natural fit. She was offered the job in 2019 and continues to serve as a critical member of OPEN M’s Employment Services team.

In her first two years at OPEN M, LaDonna found her passion working with parents in the community to help them sustain their families. Specifically, she works with those in the Prevention, Retention & Contingency (PRC) program from Summit Department of Jobs and Family Services. PRC serves as a temporary stop-gap by providing short term assistance to working families who may be experiencing urgent financial crises that could result in interruption to gainful employment.

At OPEN M, the Employment Services department welcomes PRC parents and assists with removing one barrier at a time to get them on track to securing meaningful and lasting employment.

“At my core I have a servant’s heart. I’ve always had a passion for helping people. I know what it’s like to grow up in a community and not have sufficient help or resources that my family needed,” said LaDonna. “Because of what I have been through in my life, I want to be there for people who are going through those rough times. Kids and families are my passion, so being able to be part of a community of resources to help families become self-sufficient has been so rewarding.”

During her time as an Employment Services Specialist, LaDonna has helped more than 200 families overcome their obstacles and become self-sustaining. In April 2021, she was promoted to the Employment Services Manager position where she leads the Employment Services team, while also continuing her work with PRC families.

“We are thankful for employees like LaDonna who go above and beyond every day to meet our participants needs. Whether they are facing issues with their landlords, bills, childcare, or legal issues LaDonna is there not only to be the liaison, but also to teach those valuable life and problem-solving skills to our participants,” said Christine Curry, OPEN M CEO. “She has a gift for helping those in need, regardless of what that help looks like.”

In her new role, LaDonna is working to organize the department in a way that will best serve the community, including the addition of new team members, creating relevant curriculum for workshops, ramping up the community outreach efforts and more.

After her encounter with OPEN M’s Medical Clinic in 2010, LaDonna dreamed of giving back to the place that showed her so much love and compassion during a scary time in her life, but she never could’ve imagined all that she would accomplish here.

“I am thrilled to take on this new role as Employment Services Manager. My ultimate vision for my department is to expand and grow my team and the resources and services that we can provide to our community. I hope that we will continue to multiply to help even more families get on the road to self-sufficiency,” said LaDonna.