My name is Ashley Mielenhausen! I just got married in Jan 2022 and had a career change in August 2022! I have always wanted to work with kids in some aspect. I started with special needs kids in college and when I graduated from Western I took a break to be a stay at home to mom my son who was born just 3 days later! When I went back to work I went to work for the Davenport community school district. My first experience in a Davenport school was so much different from my small town of Wilton! I saw there was so much need for extra resources and the kids were needing help beyond academics. I had my second child just 2 years in and knew I wanted to be home with her but it was not possible at the time. I found a job at a daycare where she could come with me but I could still work. I did not at all feel like I was making a difference there but my priority was my kids. I planned to just be there until she began kindergarten but COVID ruined that for me. When school did not go back normal I had to stay longer because some of her days were spent in school and some at the daycare still. Seeing how greatly that effected her made me think of all the kids who I knew were truly falling between the cracks. When I was working at the school, sometimes we were the students only compliments of the day, their only meals and eyes to see abuse happening in the homes. Once school went back to normal I knew I wanted to do something different. I found my now dream job as a school based care coordinator at Family Resources, which is a nonprofit in Davenport. I get referrals from the schools assigned to me and I am able to reach out and help the parents with resources they need help with. It can be community resources or assistance being heard in their child’s school with IEP/504 plans, bullying and discipline. When there is an altercation in a one of high schools I have the opportunity to attend a mediation with the students and the school officials to help keep them out of suspension, which is great because in our community there are a lot of families who can not stay home when their child may be forced out of school for 3-5 days or longer. They also miss out on real instruction when they are home and that has proven to be a huge issue in the last couple of years. I help families get food, clothing, bill paying assistance and more! I feel so great helping the kids in my community. It is truly where my heart is. I also have an amazing employer! The way they treat the employees can not be matched. It feels so good to be apart of this organization. Another passion of mine is domestic violence awareness and my job allows me to help with that as well. We have advocates and therapists on site who specialize in that area and I am able to work with them and help in their processes as well.  I feel like I am making a real difference and can not wait to see myself grow with them.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit happyurhere.substack.com