BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Heritage Christian Services has announced a wage increase for hundreds of Western New Yorkers who provide essential care for individuals with disabilities.
This latest pay raise is part of an ongoing effort to recruit and retain staff in a sector facing significant workforce challenges.
This initiative began four years ago when the starting wage for employees was raised to $15.75 an hour. As of last month, the starting wage increased to a minimum of $20.50 an hour, with raises for current employees implemented at the beginning of April.
Tajae Nelson, a habilitation manager at Heritage Christian Services for over three years, expressed her pride in her role.
"I love my job," she said. "Just the relationships that you build, helping the people that we support advance and learn everyday living activities, makes it so rewarding."
Kameka Keller, a resident manager at one of the organization's more than 100 certified properties, emphasized that the increase is significant.
"We spend just as much time with them as we do with our family," she said. "A lot of us don't do it for the money, but the money is a benefit of doing it, and the wage increase really helped a lot of people out."
Chuck Collard, Vice President of Western New York Operations and Advancement for Heritage Christian Services, explained that the recent wage increase is part of a broader, multi-year strategy to recognize employees in direct support roles.
"Our goal here is very simple: We want to create a culture where people feel valued, seen and heard," Collard said. "When they feel respected, they can pass on that love and appreciation to the people who rely on us for support."
Collard added that this not only improves employee morale and retention but also ensures high-quality care for those they serve.
"The more that we can increase the profession, standardize it and provide opportunities for future certifications, the more inclined they are to stay in the profession," he said.
Heritage Christian Services is looking to hire 500 people for direct support roles. You can visit JoinHCS.org to learn more.
