A message of thanks to Latham staff for creating a place of belonging

VP of Organizational Development Craig Anderson shared his thoughts on “Belonging” with Latham staff in our March employee newsletter. His reflections on Latham Centers’ commitment to belonging, one of our four core service delivery values, follows:

When we first moved to the Cape four years ago, my wife and I left our circle of friends, family, and activities in Maine and started out with a pretty empty slate. We stumbled upon something called the “Newcomers Group” in Harwich and we were happily surprised to find a variety of activities to our liking. We tried the hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing groups. Over the first year, we got connected to the Cape Cod Bird Club with their talks and walks, my wife found a church and congregation she liked, and I joined a band and a health club. So over time, we have started to feel the experience of connection to our new location—a sense of belonging.

The experience of belonging is one of the most important ways we all help the people we serve. In our roles as mentors, coaches, teachers, and supporters, we strive to help our participants make friends, get jobs, develop hobbies, join community groups, participate in the arts and wellness activities, and foster a spiritual life. A rich, full life in one’s community, engaged as one desires with acquaintances, friends, and relatives—that’s belonging.

While we all highly value “independence” at Latham Centers, the experience of “belonging” is often about “interdependence”. We all need someone to lean on. Thank you to every member of the Latham team for all you do, each and every day.

Craig Anderson (left) celebrates a recent Latham School graduate’s achievements.