Month: November 2022

Staff profile: Kelli Crawford

Kelli Crawford joined Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) as Continuous Quality Improvement Manager earlier this year. Previously, Kelli served as the Director of Impact at Junior Achievement of the Triad. In that role, she built relationships with school districts, educators, and volunteers across five counties to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

Overseeing the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) program allows Crawford to connect with Guilford County programs that focus on serving families with young children.

“As someone who’s a lifelong learner and focuses on ways to grow and improve, working with these programs to help them increase their efficiency, quality, and service is a natural fit,” Crawford said.

The CQI process uses the Model for Improvement, a powerful and flexible method promoting a structured experiential learning approach. The 13 organizations in CQI Cohort II began their work in September and will finish the process in May 2023.  Their team-based work will help them collect, analyze, and use data to improve service quality.

“We’re working with three to four team members in each organization,” Crawford said. “Each month, the programs participate in learning sessions with each other and CQI facilitators from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work and Population Health Improvement Partners. The CQI members receive additional coaching between sessions and have time to complete any assignments.”

When she’s not helping local organizations create new ways to improve, Crawford says she enjoys spending time in nature and expanding her photography skills. She and her husband are avid campers and enjoy exploring North Carolina, from the mountains to the beaches.

“My husband’s family introduced me to camping, and I fell in love with it, too,” Crawford said. “During the pandemic, we bought a small camper to continue exploring and find safe ways to continue our travels.”

While camping in North Carolina allows for quick getaways, a recent trip to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming inspired Crawford’s photography. “I’ve used some of the photos I took there in my office to remind me of that trip,” she said. “It’s a great way to bring the outdoors indoors.”

Partner Spotlight: Room At The Inn

Room At The Inn is a comprehensive program that helps homeless, single, and pregnant women with or without previous children. The organization provides shelter, food, clothing, case management, in-house daycare, transportation, life skills education, and more.

“We have two main goals, which are the healthy birth of the baby and for them to find stable housing when they leave,” said Marianne Donadio, vice president of marketing and development. “Some of them have additional goals such as getting a driver’s license, a GED, or other skills, so we help them with their needs.”

During their stay at Room At The Inn, the expectant parents work towards their goals each week. Up to six pregnant people and up to four children can live at the center, according to state regulations.

“We also have a house next door, Amy’s House, that we use for mothers who’ve graduated but who want to complete their education. We provide child care and housing for them while they work on their degree,” Donadio said. “As you can imagine, having a bachelor’s degree is significant and allows parents to plan to support their family in the years ahead.”

Whether a short-term or long-term stay, Room At The Inn, all residents can participate in an aftercare program. For some, it’s just the first few months, but others stay in touch for years after they move out on their own.

“We want them to remain stable,” Donadio said. “So whether we offer a child care scholarship that fills in the gaps while they wait for vouchers, a short-term small financial loan if they’ve been sick and had to miss work, or material assistance with formula, clothes, or groceries, it’s enough to keep them going.”

Room At The Inn is part of Ready for School, Ready for Life’s Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Cohort II. “The environment is continuously changing, and what may have worked when we opened our doors in 2001 may have shifted. Having been through COVID-19 has been a big example of that. Our CQI partnership with Ready Ready will help us improve our processes and more efficiently accomplish our goals.”