From Participant to Staff Member: Maddie’s Story

Maddie has been a long-time member of the Hand in Hand family with a tall stack of camp and Hand in Hand t-shirts to prove it. She started attending our recreation programs and camp as an elementary school student and now attends our adults dayhab program, People with Purpose part-time and is also a staff member now. She serves as a Program Assistant and is always willing to lend a helping hand and a warm smile. You can find her in our kitchen, preparing snacks and cleaning dishes, or in a childcare classroom, either comforting a baby or engaging with preschoolers. She's also known for assisting with various office projects, including helping with the Chili Cook-Off where she loves to volunteer and eat Smokin’ Butt BBQ’s chili.

She says that being at Hand in Hand has always been a welcoming experience. She has fond memories of her first years at camp meeting some of her lifelong friends and getting to know the Assumption High School Key Club members who would often volunteer at camp as well as the Camp Abe Lincoln staff members, including her older brother, who would assist our campers. Now Maddie serves as a staff member during camp.  

“I like to see a lot of children and young adults enjoy it like I did,” she says of now being a staff member instead of a participant. She enjoys helping participants work on their goals as she has fond memories of working on her own. Hand in Hand’s inclusiveness is why Maddie thinks the organization is different from other organizations in the Quad Cities.

“Hand in Hand is a safe place for people to come. People don’t have to worry,” she said. She went on to say that Hand in Hand is more inclusive than participating in a school extracurricular activity and that’s why she decided to start attending. She also said that the fact that we serve not only children, but adults is important.  She said that inclusiveness has carried over for her being a staff member too.

Maddie shared a challenging experience she had while working at a business in the Quad Cities before joining Hand in Hand. She encountered staff who treated her poorly and used hurtful language. She contrasts this with her experience at Hand in Hand, where she doesn't have to worry about such mistreatment. Maddie firmly believes that inclusion is what makes Hand in Hand better.

Nevertheless, Maddie acknowledges the occasional challenge of balancing her roles as staff Maddie and participant Maddie.

“That’s tricky. It’s hard to balance work and being a participant. A lot of the time staff Maddie comes out,” she laughed. “It’s hard to balance.” A natural leader, she sometimes finds herself taking charge and helping her fellow participants only to realize in the moment that she’s supposed to be a participant that day too. She says finding that balance is something she continues to work on.

Another skill Maddie has developed is independence, and she attributes her growth to her time at Hand in Hand. She has learned to problem-solve independently while also knowing when to rely on her team. This independence and teamwork shine through in her current living situation, where she shares a house with three roommates, two of whom are Hand in Hand participants. She describes herself as a recovering messy roommate.

Maddie has met many of her friends through the organization and encourages others to get involved with Hand in Hand and said, “Don’t be afraid to be yourself. You can be open to staff. It’s a safe place. I always consider Hand in Hand my second home and second family, basically.”