Nancy DeClue accepts her award from Board Chair, Nick Allen.
Award of Excellence winner, Nancy DeClue is a seasoned professional. She has decades of excellent experience and continuing education as a registered nurse.
With her impeccable resume, confidence and understanding of how to get a job with a hospital, she had always been able to walk into the recruiter’s office and walk out with a job at the pay and hours she asked for.
But after a fall, all of that changed.
“It pretty well put me into disability, but I was only 55 and certainly wasn’t going to be able to live on social security,” Nancy said.
“Plus, I had a lot of life in me! Unfortunately, I was unmarketable as a nurse,” Nancy said.
She tried to figure things out on her own, but ended up back in nursing. After another incident on the job caused even more damage, Nancy knew it was time to seriously look at a different career.
Nancy did her best to navigate the online world of job applications, but struggled to translate her skills effectively. Her job hunt was going nowhere. Through Vocational Rehabilitation, Nancy connected with Job Point.
“When I connected with Ranjana at Job Point, I needed desperately a job.” Nancy said. “I was using the Food Bank for food during the week and shuffling bills.”
Nancy and her advisor, Ranjana Hans, spent a lot of time talking about Nancy’s skills, interests and potential career opportunities. Together, they crafted a resume that showcased Nancy’s unique work experience and talents and started applying for jobs.
“They worked day and night to help me find a job,” Nancy said. “And then one day, I got a phone call from Easter Seals.”
Nancy was invited for an interview and was amazed and relieved when they called her back and offered her the position.
She worked part time for about four months and then COVID-19 hit mid-Missouri. Nancy volunteered to work in the office part-time and deep clean the office to help keep everyone safe.
“For months, I was the only one in the building. But I didn’t mind, because I had a job,” Nancy said.
Things are finally getting back to normal at the office and Nancy says that she is absolutely delighted to be there “watching the miracles that happen every day” because of the work the staff is doing to help young children with autism.
“My goal is to stay there until I can’t work anymore,” Nancy said. “It’s a perfect job and I wouldn’t even have known about it if it had not been for Job Point.”
“I wouldn’t have my dog or be able to buy my own food or have the security that I have now if it weren’t for Job Point,” Nancy added.
