Kimberly Oldenburg

About a decade ago, I decided to go back to school for social work after pivoting from design and other areas. This decision was based on my own childhood experiences and things I experienced working in Human Services for a couple of years. Now I work with the homeless community, though I do want to work with children in the future. I've thrived in this area and developed two leadership roles. As Homeless Advocacy Director for Broadway Christian Parish, I advocate for homeless individuals in the morning to get birth certificates, assess their needs, find resources to help with immediate needs and long-term goals, and enter people on the coordinated entry housing list which helps them secure housing. I help them by writing advocacy letters for work, providing a mailing address, and helping them get IDs and birth certificates. I've revamped the program there for advocacy and created a more professional space and made a larger impact. My second job is through the UMC Collective, which is the South Bend Area United Methodist Churches. They formed a position and got a big grant for up to 3 years, and I coordinate teams through the churches to create a wraparound team that staffs assistance for homeless families, specifically those coming out of homelessness into housing so they can reach self-sufficiency. My main area of expertise is advocacy, and my most notable professional achievement is the number of individuals I have helped at Broadway Christian Parish in the homeless community.