LANCASTER, N.Y. (WKBW) — Heritage Christian Services is shining a spotlight on the need for fairly compensated professionals in the caring industry.
"From the moment they walk into the door, the moment they join our agency, they have the opportunity to make someone's life better," Chuck Collard, Vice President of Western New York Operations and Advancement for the organization, said.
Heritage Christian Services offers group home settings for individuals with disabilities across 16 counties in Upstate New York.
Kameka Keller is a resident manager of a group home in Lancaster offering care for six people with disabilities — most have lived there for over a decade.
"We are together every day like you would be with your family," Keller said. "We make sure we have family-style dinners. We make sure that we celebrate each other's birthdays."
Kameka's son, Sean, also has special needs, making this job even more personal for her.
"He's my pride and joy," she said. "I just make sure that I care for other people's family members like I would want people to care for him."
However, most of the funding for the caring profession comes from New York State, and advocates are looking to increase the proposed 1.5% in the state budget to 3.2%.
Advocates are also looking for a direct support wage enhancement totaling about $4,000 per worker — which is about an extra $2 per hour.
"It's a really small ask at a budget as large as the State of New York for us to retain our care professionals and ensure that they have a living wage to care for their families," Collard said. "That's the only way we can continue to do this."
Collard told 7 News reporter Hannah Ferrera that Heritage Christian Services is 92% Medicaid funded.
"It's a special life calling," he said. "Those who work in our industry are special. They have the opportunity to change people's lives every single day."
This is a responsibility Keller doesn't take for granted.
"They are entrusting us with their lives," she said. "So we take a lot of caution, a lot of pride in when we're caring for them."
