I am pleased to announce May’s 2022 SA Value Award Recipient for Community!

Congratulations to Nancy Magana, Residential Coordinator in Pierce County. Pictured below are Nancy (center) receiving her award from Samantha Sanabria (left) and Soraya Sultan-Meer (right).

At Service Alternatives, Community is the basis for belonging. It helps people feel valued, engaged, and worthy. It is the “why” of the work we do. We build community by building connections. We connect our most vulnerable community members with the resources they need to rise above their challenges. We connect our clients with opportunities to explore and actualize their best selves. We partner with other community organizations to strengthen a collective web of support for those who need it most, and to position those we serve to flourish without us.  

One of Nancy’s nominations states, “Not only does she look for all kinds of diverse ways to be in the community but also to connect to the community and its other members which can be hard for adults with disabilities to do. I personally see her work with clients greeting strangers, asking questions of the public and just teaching her clients how to make small talk. That is a huge part of being a part of the actual community.”   

Here are a few of the ways in which Nancy regularly embodies the value of Community: 

• Organizing client birthday parties 
• Helping recognize staff birthdays 
• Organizing group hikes and other day trips 

As one nominator states, “Whether it’s concerts or movies in the park or Walmart shopping, she helps make the process smooth and delightful.”  

Here are a couple of stories that really highlight Nancy’s embodiment of Community: 

• “She helped set up one client with the Shuttle bus and drove to Lynwood to collect a company car for Pacific View to use. The car had a dead battery and Nancy along with Audrey walked across the road, bought a new battery, rolled their sleeves up, and installed the new battery. The car started and they made their way back down to Tacoma! We now use the company car daily to help our clients getting around the community. “ 
• “She helped to organize and host a County wide scavenger hunt for clients and staff members. She sent out hints and people had to figure out where it was and then take a picture when they got there. This allowed both clients and staff to see things they might never have thought to go to, all over their community.  

Nancy and her program have been working on getting clients into the community in safe and comfortable ways. While there have been challenges, she is noted to have used her thinking cap and solved problems through them all! 

Thank you, Nancy, for your tremendous commitment to Community!