Whether it’s work, family expectations or just plain life –  we’ve all experienced days that seem to go on forever. Even in the difficult times, though, we always expect the best for our kids. At KVC, team members work tirelessly to bring the best services and support to the children and families they serve. On those days that are sluggish and don’t seem to end, here are some of our inspirational employees who never give up.

Amy Thompson – Community Resource Specialist

Amy Thompson fights for the rights of kids with special needs in the education system. She doesn’t stop until their needs are met.

Amy goes above and beyond with the children she works with, whether they are in foster care or in their biological homes. She fights for these kids the same way that she fights for her own. She sits in on their meetings, makes calls on their behalf, becomes a part of their team and always follows up to see how they are doing. She has proven herself to be such a valuable source of knowledge and  a champion for those in need. KVC is so lucky to have her!

Amy is the definition of “Super Mom!” As a mother of three boys over 6′ tall, she doesn’t back down easily. Having a son with autism allows her to bring her heart to her job. With her experience in advocating for her son to get the services and educational resources he needs, she brings that determination to helping other children and families. Amy has consistently been a huge help with late night crisis calls and makes it a point to make sure her co-workers are doing OK. She has a mother’s heart and instinct that she brings to the KVC family daily. KVC is blessed to have her “mom” us and our clients on the Safe at Home team!

Debbie Wells – Safe at Home Supervisor

Debbie Wells is an amazing soul that treats every family like her own. Countless children and parents love working with her because of her incredibly sweet demeanor. With years of experience, she gives valuable guidance to co-workers and clients.

Debbie treats everyone with understanding and respect. She never fails to let us know how important our work is and that we are appreciated. She responds to late night crisis calls and is always there to listen and work through any problems. She makes sure that we are taking care of ourselves and reminds her co-workers to take time to relax when working on a stressful case. Debbie is simply wonderful!

Erin Keltner – Vice President of Operations

Erin Keltner is never too busy or preoccupied to give attention to a child. She is loving, caring and always has the best interest of the children in mind. Recently, Erin took time out of her day to work with three young children. She had one infant in her arms and knelt down in the floor (balancing on her high heels) so she could be at the level of the 2- and 3-year-old little girls. She talked to them with interest and care. One co-worker mentioned, “I wonder how many leaders of a large company would take the time to show kindness, caring and interest to children this young and in this circumstance? I don’t think very many.”

Erin is a great example of what someone would want for their child. She “walks the walk” every day while displaying compassion and kindness.

Leslie Stewart – Wraparound Facilitator

Leslie Stewart always goes the extra mile for children. She recently batted it out of the park for one of her clients!

Leslie worked with a child who couldn’t attend school due to sever anxiety attacks, and the school stated it couldn’t provide what he needed to attend. As a result, the school proposed homeschooling as an alternative.

Leslie and the child’s family pursued the necessary routes to setting up homeschooling, but the county court denied eligibility because a recommendation from a psychiatrist could not be secured for months.

Though everyone agreed that homeschooling was best for the child, he was still considered truant by the school. Due to the truancy, a court official recommended placing the child in out-of-home care. Leslie felt that this was not in the best interest of the child.

Leslie went to the child’s home and instructed the mother to gather all of the proper documentation. Then, without an appointment, they went to the board of education. Leslie was able to talk with a board member and superbly illustrated that homeschooling was in the best interest of the child. The board member approved the child to be homeschooled and reversed all the truancy charges. This is a major win for this child!

Stay tuned for more inspirational employee spotlights!

KVC West Virginia is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Our goal is to keep children with their own families and communities, providing wraparound services to make reunification possible. When children or teens have to enter out-of-home care due to family difficulties, it is a top priority of KVC West Virginia to ensure that they remain safely in their own communities and reduce reliance on congregate care.