What Families Say

Kudos to Christy Shaver, Daniel Brown, Cynthia Fewell, Scottie Rush, and others.

I just wanted to tell you how much I have appreciated Monarch over the last few months.  I formed a relationship with Christy (and Daniel Brown too) over the past year at the ASL meetings, and Christy has been instrumental in helping me with our current situation—my brother-in-law, for whom my husband and I are legal guardians, got an Innovations slot late this summer after five years and we decided to take advantage of the Community Transition service, as well as choosing Monarch for the HS service as well.  Your staff has been most excellent (I know you know this), and they have gone over and above for Jake.  He did not transition as well as I would have liked, which was not unexpected, and Scottie Rush has saved our lives over the last week.  Cynthia Fewell has spent many an hour on purchasing the things for Jake’s new home, and it has not been a quick process given the circumstances, but your staff needs kudos for making all of this happen.  It is a very exciting time for our family, and as an agency I know full well how hard it can be the first time we provide a service to a person—I am so thankful that I chose Monarch and appreciate your organization more than ever. 

 When Jake is fully settled, he would like to have a hotdog cookout for all of the people who have made this move possible.  He’s going to invite the huge group of community volunteers who readied the house for move-in, plus the staff support and neighbors and friends (and let’s hope he invites his family).  We hope that you would like to see the final product as well!

Melinda Plue

Testimony from a grateful father about our staff, Tina Christian! (Names changed for confidentiality reasons)

You may be aware that my father died a few weeks ago. My wife, older daughter, and I were involved for days with trying to make the correct decision as to or not to inform our other daughter, Sylvia Cramer, about the death of her grandfather. We were concerned for Sylvia, who had lost her paternal grandmother in October, had suffered the breakage of her collar bone in two places during June and now this latest event. Could she cope with one more emotional stressor at his time? We finally decided to inform her, which we did, and she took it rather well. To my question, she said that she wanted to attend the funeral for her grandfather, to be held in Brooklyn, NY, and "because I want to support you, Dad." With her making her desires known and demonstrating the capacity to confront another loss, we then had to make arrangements for her travel. After having gotten possible flights on Southwest Airlines, from Raleigh, to and from Philadelphia, the nearest airport to our older daughter, Cindy Cramer Gordon, we called Ms. Tina Christian, Operations Manager, Lakeview group home, to inform her of our dilemma. She was most empathic to our circumstances and made suggestions of which flights would be best in terms of her staff availability and also said she would quickly arrange for Sylvia to have a med pack for the days that she would be gone. We also discussed the need for a staff member to actually accompany Sylvia to and from the respective airport gate, on both legs of her travels, to avoid the previous problem of Sylvia purchasing contraband, which she also included in the plan. I am glad to report that all went rather well, but without Ms. Christian's leadership, understanding, and decisiveness such would not have been possible! Further, the funeral did go well, for such an event of that nature, and Sylvia did support me before, during, and after the service. Plus, Sylvia was also able to personally address and acknowledge the death of her grandfather. For the assistances she provided, for all of which to have taken place, we commend Ms. Christian, especially at a time when none of us, in our family, were at our ultimate best. She came to our rescue!

With deep gratitude, from our family

Letter written about two of our staff, Matt and Wade Plummer. 

Our oldest inhome adopted son, who you all have met, will be going to live in an adult group home now. He is 25.   He has some problems, and we feel it is in the best interest of him, and particularly the young children, that he live where professionals can work with him if he gets out of control.

He has had two wonderful respite workers.  They are both college educated guys; brothers whose father and brother are local attorneys.

These fellows took our older son to the library, movies, to church plays and concerts, etc. during his hours.  They never just sat at home "watching him".

We have just seen the wonderful side of these two brothers and would like to get our son with one of them.  They may not be able to do it. I trust them so much.

They have worked with our older son for the better part of two years, and I have never had ONE SINGLE COMPLAINT!

Thanks!