D iversity of duties, long days filled with rewarding work, and a cheerleader and encourager, might be just a few of the apt hallmarks to describe Stephen Lawrence, Harvest of Hope’s Program Director. Lawrence oversees all aspects of the mental health program for Harvest of Hope. His duties are many, and varied and include staff development, mentoring, and training; leading weekly staff meetings for the professionals who provide the care and treatment to Harvest clients. There’s a quality assurance piece in which he diligently tends every piece of programming to ensure each component fully adheres to State and Federal regulations for the work carried out at Harvest of Hope. One of the most vital program director duties for Lawrence is the accountability to goals for the 35-50 Harvest of Hope clients. This is where words and intentions become action plans and steps to successful outcomes for every client. Accountability is where small steps become larger ones, and goals are incrementally met, until full accountability by each client for completing their treatment plan, is achieved. On any given day Lawrence might be found collaborating with community partners or reviewing the possibilities for new funding for the program which continues to expand its offerings. And none of it, says Lawrence, feels like work. Lawrence brings a treasure of education, experience, knowledge, and a great passion for the work to HOH. He earned his A.A. in Early Childhood Education, a Bachelor’s in Psychology, and his Master’s degree in Human Services. He
noted in a recent interview that he has been in the field for 20 years working with individuals and families before becoming a Harvest of Hope. Lawrence had a very integral role in helping bring Harvest of Hope opportunities for any clients looking for assistance. The work at HOH is endless
and Lawrence meets each task head-on. He is acutely aware of how much potential he has to be impactful on a daily basis, as a leader in the organization to the staff, the clients and their families, and support circles. He understands days of struggle and bad choices through his own experiences, and explained, “ After high school, I went the
wrong direction, got into trouble, and that kinda woke me up.” He says he has, “a passion to see programs grow and to see people grow – I love to see them all win.” Harvest of Hope has so much potential, for Baltimore and surrounding counties, said Lawrence, to create good and become more and more impactful over time. Current short-term goals in this regard are working on strategies to expand staff and helping get the word out that Harvest of Hope “has a heart for the work that we do.” “ There is so much benefit to our programs. We help our clients get stabilized in their thinking, then they find themselves doing certain things that they couldn’t have imagined in the past: get a job, get education, find a quality of life and be a productive member of society. It is so fulfilling to see clients move to the next level in their lives.”
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