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From Volunteer Support to Lifesaving Services: The Evergreen Success Story · Hart & Hustle Podcast

• Efrain: Welcome back to the Heart and Hustle Podcast. We have Miss Karen in the building from Texas. How you doing, Miss Karen? Karen Towery: I am wonderful today. How are you doing? Efrain: Good. You said the Cowboys won. We just gotta say that for those football fans that may be watching right at the beginning. Karen Towery: That's right. The Cowboys won. It's crazy. We started watching it. Electricity went out, so I didn't get to, I could only get highlights. And I was super excited when I saw that final score. So yay! It's a good Monday. Efrain: Yeah. Well what what was the what was what was the final score? Karen Towery: my gosh. Now I can't remember what the final score was, but they won! Efrain: good. They won. Who everybody say who cares? They won. All right. No worries. Karen, thank you so much for just jumping on this podcast with us and being able to share some of the cool things your organization is doing, cool things from a leadership perspective. Very tough times when it comes to nonprofits. So as we were kind of sharing some some wins for the organizations, what does it look like right now? Are you guys in a place of like pivot? I think so many times people were really panicking. I mean, rightfully so. But what does pivot look like for you guys? 'Cause I can imagine that's where you guys are at. Karen Towery: Well, yeah, I mean it is kind of a difficult time, I think, just across the board for everybody. I think really for nonprofits, it's kinda always a difficult time for nonprofits. But I think coming into these, you know, recent seasons we're seeing that a little bit more. But you know, we just have to really Put the seatbelt on and and keep going because we serve these are human lives that we serve that depend on us day in and day out for for their life, the quality of their life. So we just have to keep on moving. I mean, in pivot, we're so you know, we're dependent on Medicaid dollars. So, you know, that's kind of a big sorry about that sound. that's kind of a a big thing, you know. Today people are talking about Medicaid and those kind of things, but the folks that we serve. which you know individuals with developmental disabilities intellectual and developmental disabilities that never changes so their benefits really shouldn't change but they have so we've really had to do a lot of hitting up our legislators our senators hit them up in DC hit them up in Austin Texas and really everywhere in between just to kind of shine a light on we need resources to to help us continue with this population Efrain: And what's the organization for those that are watching know the organization and your title with the organization? Karen Towery: Okay, great. So it's Evergreen Life Services, and I'm the state director for Texas, the great, great state of Texas. and all we do, we provide services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. And we do that in several forms. We have group homes in the community where they live with us 24-7. They have roommates, we have 24-hour around-the-clock staff. we have day programs, and that's where our folks come to either learn a skill. skill pre-vocational skills to get a job in the community or to hey maybe they want to learn how to make a pecan pie and we're gonna show them how to do that. So we really we support these these folks just in whatever way we feel like they want. We ask them about that and then we support them. We do foster care, we have folks that we do case management for that still live in their home with their families. And then we have folks who live in home homes that's not their families. Folks who have agreed to be a host home for folks with disabilities just just to help them, you know, get through life. Life is hard enough, right? So when you have a Efrain: Yes, ma'am. Karen Towery: a disability, sometimes that's a a little bit harder. and especially with you have when you if you have a disability where you aren't expected to get a job out in the community and you're not expected to really participate, you know, that's where Evergreen comes in. And we we we pick that up and and move forward. And really our whole goal is to these folks that we support, look, let's let's let them, let's make sure that they have the best life that they possibly can. And so our our everyday is all about that. Efrain: How many years have you been doing it now? Karen Towery: goodness. About twenty-seven, twenty-eight with evergreen. twenty-seven Efrain: Well Karen Towery: with evergreen. Yes. And I did it for a few years before that. Listen, I started young. Efrain: Really? You're loyal to the brand. You're so loyal to the brand. I love it. What br what Karen Towery: Listen, I am definitely loyal to Evergreen, but definitely loyal to the people that we serve. That's my first and foremost loyalty for sure. Efrain: Yeah. What what what brings you to I'd like to say that the spaces like this is truly out of passion and purpose. Karen Towery: Mm-hmm. Efrain: What keeps you there though? What what is the thing that keeps you there almost three decades? Karen Towery: So really, I'm gonna say purpose. You know, in the beginning, way back when I was super young and full of what does life hold for me? It was not this. I did a lot of things. I was a drug and alcohol abuse counselor, I worked with kids, I I did all kinds of things like that. But a friend of mine who worked in this field invited me to lunch one day and took me to the place where she worked and then I'm all of a sudden I'm surrounded by all these folks that have I D D and man, they just got in my heart and after I left that lunch I I I was planning on going on to be a shrink. You know, that's I was gonna I was I was working on my master's degree, I was gonna keep going, but I met these people and I couldn't stop thinking about them after I left them. And just as God would have it, a position came available and the CEO then called me and I just took a chance, took the job and I have not looked back since. I mean there's something about I guess for myself and people that I work with, I have the best team known to man. they all are here because it's their purpose. But you look at a person and you see, and my prayer is always, God, let me see these people through your eyes. And then I see Efrain: Mm-hmm. Karen Towery: their where where they could be, what what I could do to help them have the best life possible. And I think everybody that I work with is pretty much that way. So it's really purpose. And then of course there's a little bit of that. If I go away, who's gonna take care of You know? And there's always people to do that, but that's what's kept me. It's just the people. It's it's they're amazing. Efrain: I love it. And how big is the organization? Karen Towery: So we are in several states. We are in, we started out in Louisiana and we're in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas. We're also in Florida, your neck of the woods, I think, and also in Kentucky and Tennessee. Efrain: Okay, so you guys are doing it big. so will you say that you when you say director of the state, is it you're only focusing on Texas or do you actually do all states? Karen Towery: And no, I focus solely on Texas. Efrain: God, I'm about to say that you you're working a lot on my end. Karen Towery: Yeah, yeah. Efrain: it's just so cool. I I think it is it's one of those things that you just you just love. It must not feel like work. Do you feel like at any time it feels like work or is it just like, hey, this is family to me. I'm I'm coming to just do God's work. Karen Towery: really what it is. I mean, there are times that it feels like work, like when the state comes in and wants to survey us to make sure that we're doing, you know, a good job because we're licensed and s and certified through the state of Texas. They have to make sure that we're not driving drunk, so to speak. So they they come in and make sure we're doing that's the days that it feels like work. But But if it's just Efrain: Ha ha. Karen Towery: the being with the folks and planning and, you know, doing what I can and my team can to to do right by them, that's not work. That's not work at all. That's family. Efrain: What is your what is your day to day look like? Karen Towery: man, so I mean, talking about human lives, right? So I you never know. That's the other thing. It's an adventure every single day because you don't know what's what's going what's gonna happen. you know, and and with the people that we serve, we have a lot of staff too, because like I said, you know, we have day programs that are staffed. We have all of our our group homes, community homes that have awake staff all the time. So it's a lot sometimes for sure. But day to day. Is just kind of open my eyes and go, thank you, God. I opened my eyes, and what's it gonna be today? And we we just roll with it. Efrain: say we gotta just pivot. Every day is just a day of pivoting. Like I I I Karen Towery: Yes, it is. Efrain: love I say and I think I learned this later in my life that we're all improvisers when you really think about it. Like when you think about improv, right? Like we actually do that on our day to day. We have to improvise when things, especially in a nonprofit world and you're wearing so many different hats, you have to kind of figure out what can I do with just a little bit. I mean we just kind of talked about that. It's like we really gotta think outside the box. Karen Do you recall a time that you had to think outside the box because maybe you just didn't have the resources, but you end up winning on the end the end of it. Karen Towery: man, that's all the time. Again, in the nonprofit world, if you've been in nonprofit, you know there there are always times where you go, how am I gonna do this? And then we we end up doing it. Gosh, there's just so many. I can't even think of one. But the best thing about it, I think, and the best thing about being in this field and being in nonprofit is you basically are surrounded with people who have the same mindset that you do. Especially if you're in any sort of leadership position. That's what you want. You want folks that you you're gonna you're gonna surround yourself with people who think the same way and have the same passion and the same goals. So, you know, we always joke, it doesn't matter what happens. What comes about? We have this core team, and we're gonna make things happen. And we we always do. So, I mean, whether it's we don't have enough money to do XYZ, we find a whole lot of volunteers to come help us do it. Our our day program in Fort Worth, and we've been there for well over 10 years. it definitely was a lot of work when we first acquired the building to get it ready. And I joke and say, whenever we walk around there, I was my mom made the curb. my husband and my son put up the Efrain: Yeah. Karen Towery: thing for that. and I joke and say, listen, I was talking calling everybody that I went to third grade with and said, Do you know how to paint? And Efrain: Yeah. Karen Towery: and yeah, and got them out. So we utilize volunteers a whole lot to get stuff done. So when we have, you know, big projects or just even small projects and we don't know how we're gonna do it, we just we call on each other and we call on a lot of volunteers and we get it done. Efrain: So I said the volunteers, mean, as I mentioned, putting on this event, they were there at nine fifteen at night. Some the students actually from the school that came to help out. so I didn't have to be there a Saturday morning. 'Cause if they didn't show up, our pie's gonna be there on a Saturday morning. And I was like, Karen, even setting up, like, you know, loading it, I was like, thank God for volunteers, people that truly care just as much as we do. very underrated individuals because a lot of times they're just playing behind the scenes. But they're passionate people. They're people that have purpose and maybe can't commit a whole, you know, shift. But sometimes that hour two hours goes a long way, Karen. That is I I'm glad that you brought up volunteers because people don't realize how important it is. Just that hour, that two hours that someone gives to us. We truly as leaders appreciate every single time. When someone is asking how do I give back? It doesn't always have to be dollars. Just your time Karen Towery: No. Efrain: does just as good. You know, so definitely I just wanna kinda put that out there. Karen, you did mention a friend that, you know, took you to lunch and kind of showed you what was happening. Are you s where's that friend at today? Karen Towery: You know, I moved away so that I I knew her in Amarillo, Texas, and I moved away from there to the Fort Worth area. And I we're not in touch anymore, but I I know that I kind of keep up with her through social media, which everybody went to high school with. I haven't talked to them since high school, but I feel like I've kept up with them through social media. So she's doing well Efrain: Yeah, yeah. Karen Towery: as a family. and maybe one day we we will talk, but she really is, you know, the person to credit with me continuing on. in this field because listen they got a hold of my heart that's all it took Efrain: They they say people Yeah, they say people come into your life for a season. Karen Towery: Mm-hmm. Efrain: She was there for that season to kinda get drawn to where you're at today, thirty years later. I've actually Karen Towery: Yeah, I believe that. Efrain: had to do that. Yeah, I've had to I don't speak to these individuals r you know, often either, but People that gave me the opportunity and seen more in me than I was able to see in myself in my early days Karen Towery: Mm. Efrain: of leadership. I remember calling a supervisor and and you know, I was 19 years old when he gave me that opportunity. Clearly he seen something in me because I was a knucklehead. So to call him and say, hey man, you know, thank you. Because if it wasn't for you to see something in me, I don't know how far I would have gone. You know, and it's sometimes while we don't talk to those people, we just even, you know, God, thank you for sending that person in my life. Because People always ask me, and could imagine even for you, Karen, it's like, how do you get here? God could put good people in my life that were able to navigate me to some of these places where I didn't even realize I would be. Because as you mentioned, it was never a goal of yours, right? Like your goal looked very different. Your plan may have looked very different, but God's plan looked even even more different than what yours is, right? And and here you here you are. What Karen Towery: Definitely. Mm-hmm. Efrain: what is Do you still have plans like where you want to be in the organization or wh where are you today now? Mentally? Karen Towery: I mean, you know, I started when I started with Evergreen, I started as a program supervisor. we in Texas, we call them the QIDP. And and we had two facilities in Arlington. And so we now have six facilities in Arlington, a facility and day program in Fort Worth. Six in Dallas a day pro no seven in Dallas a day program in Dallas, a two facilities and a day program in Sherman, a day program in Bowie. So yeah, we I like to look at things that way. I started with with two homes in Evergreen and I'm telling you it was a god thing that I even came to Evergreen 100%. And now we've grown and expanded. And my goal would just be not just be, it is to continue that because people need services. People the people need to be served. And we have families out there struggling. We have folks out there that are in placements that they probably shouldn't be in. and they need they need to have the services that Evergreen provides. They need to be loved and cared for and propped up to be successful. So that's that's my goal. That's the future is let's let's continue serving the people. Efrain: Yeah, yeah. Keep building. Yeah, keep building. What where where does technology lie in all this? I mean, when we think about nonprofits, I think it is so crucial that we look at data, that we look at different technologies. Obviously, there is AI that it's kind of taken over. Is that something you guys lean towards to kind of not so much replace the human but just get rid of the repetitive task? What does that look like for an organization like yours? Karen Towery: So not really. I mean, eventually, I'm pretty sure it's gonna be a large part of what we do. and funny, interestingly, like some of the folks that we serve come and and show me technology stuff that I'm like, what? How'd you do that? What's that? And it's it's pretty awesome. So really, you know, not that much. I have actually watched programs where they're trying they have tried to set up an AI like like scenario in a facility to replace human staff and then have this these AI type programs that you you can't replace the human touch though. So I don't Efrain: Absolutely not. Yeah. Karen Towery: I don't foresee we're gonna go in that direction right now, but Me maybe something with our our guys for sure. Efrain: Yeah, yeah, for sure. I think there's so many different ways of what it looks like to implement a AI. I think even around communication, maybe one of those things. and how do we allow Yeah, yeah. Karen Towery: definitely with communication. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Efrain: Because I I use AI, a Cloud or a Chat GPT, but talking to someone like this, I'm not gonna get that same passion or that same love or that same care out of just talking to what it would be a robot. I would say do you watch America's Got Talent by chance? Karen Towery: Not a lot, but I've seen it, yes. Efrain: man, there was this one there was the last season where it was like eight nine robots in sync with the per the human and he c put him in clothes and it's like you would it if they would have had a mask that which just a actual human face, you would have never even known. Like it is it's getting Karen Towery: wow. Efrain: crazy out there, Terry. This is stuff that we used to see when we were kids on TV thinking like, that is so cool. We're not living it. Like it is it's a different ball game for sure. Karen Towery: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes. I agree with that. Well, now when you you when you say it in that perspective, I mean, I think, yeah, in the future there could be kind of a companion situation that helps communication definitely. We've been using communication devices, communication boards, you know, things like that for our folks who are nonverbal. But I mean, now mentioning the robots and stuff like that. Maybe there could be a companion kind of thing that we we look at. I know we have an ID dep IT department that's always looking for things like that. So hmm, might be. Efrain: It's hey, I I I actually think that when it comes to communication, there is the space of text messaging that I think is also kind of almost taken over what email used to be. Do you guys find yourself in that battle of getting in contact with people through email, realizing it's not working? So maybe text message is that thing? Karen Towery: For for the folks that we serve, they're they're huge Efrain: Yes, ma'am. Karen Towery: texters. Yes, definitely. Social media and texting is huge. I I I keep in touch with and find out so much stuff through social media, through Facebook, through messages. you know, we have folks that that's the best way that they can communicate. Like, how's your day going? But they can't tell me, but they can get on their phone and they can text it. to me and and let me know and we kinda go from there. So, you know, it's kind of funny saying talking about this now, they they really are pretty savvy and we really do use it a lot more than I guess I w even realize to really communicate feelings, thoughts, wants, needs, all of that. So I I I foresee that continuing. Efrain: Yeah. Why not? It's everyone's probably phone is is at a hand's reach, right? When you think about, hey, where's your phone? It's it's right here. It's like Karen Towery: Yeah. Efrain: the phones have really kind of taken over. They they have become the companionship to us. It's like if you leave without your phone, Karen, you swear that your phone is ringing all day to get home and there's no missed calls. Karen Towery: Yes, yes, definitely. Or if you walk out, you know, you're in the car about to drive away and you go, wait, I've Efrain: Yeah Karen Towery: You know, it's so it's sad, but it's it's true. It's our reality. That that's how we keep in touch. Efrain: I just remember the days when we had the chirp phones, that's what they used to call them, the boost mobiles, the Next Tales. And now Karen Towery: Uh-huh. Mm-hmm. Uh-huh. Efrain: these phones have just, you know, we'll never I remember teachers saying we'll never have a calculator in our pockets, but here we are. We have a co-computer, I would say, in our pockets these days. So Karen Towery: Yes, definitely. Efrain: yeah, technology, I would say in the space of nonprofit has truly evolved what it looks like. I think to a lot of the things you mentioned is those are some of the things I've had to look at a 30 year old organization implement. was the social media, was the systems, was the automations, and what that continues to look like because we gotta meet people where they're at. Where do you what do you say you guys are happy about when you talk about meeting people where they're at? What are some of those things that you you say this is what we do good at meeting people where at? Karen Towery: man, I mean I like to think that there's a whole lot, but I think we're where we and where we can always use improv improvement. So there's always improvement. But but what we do good right now is our the people that we serve. And I and I like to think our staff too. We do meet them where we're where we're after. Where we're at. And I'm gonna do a a nod to my dear friend Sharon Gomez for pro person centered planning. So when we meet with our folks, what do you want to do? It's all person centered. It's all around what do you want for your life? What do you see in the future? In one year, where do you wanna be? What do you be doing? What do you want to be doing? And whatever comes out of that, that's what we put into place. So I feel like that we're doing pretty good doing that. Just a few examples. I ha I have a lady, shout out to Hadley. she's amazing. Autistic, she had a dream to do stand-up comedy. And so we said, okay, well, you need to start practicing and and come up with routine. And she did and took her to a a place in Arlington, a stand-up comedy club in Arlington, Texas. And she had her set and she was amazing. So and now she wants to be a DJ and learn how to, you know, on the on the board. So we are providing Efrain: Ha ha ha. Karen Towery: her with those things to Help her learn how to do that. So, really, I mean, in the simplest of forms, and that may seem to some people that I talk to or even listening to this, that's so simple, but it's really not because in this world of technology and all this, we've lost simplicity. And so, really getting back to just asking somebody what is it that you want to do with your life, meeting them where they're at and laying the groundwork and giving it to them to be able to do. So And whether it's you know, go work, we have a lady just with our fundraiser that we had last week, one of the people that we serve, her dream was to be a party planner. And so we brought her on board and she helped plan the whole event. And we we call it our Diamond Gala. She helped plan the event, she was a part of it from A to Z, and she felt she was she was filled up. She felt fulfilled by that. And that was just so simple for us to do is to ask. Efrain: And that and that's what puts a smile on your face, right? Is knowing that you get to do that, that someone that had a dream or a vision, that you get to bring it to life and be a part of that journey. Like that's what fills Karen Towery: Right. Efrain: your cup, I can imagine. Karen Towery: Yes, it does. Absolutely. And I think that for our staff that we have that are long term staff, that's what they really get. And when we do training with staff, that's what we I try to always say is you have the opportunity to change a life. You have an opportunity to insert yourself in such a positive way that will can change the trajectory of this person's life. Not everybody gets to do that. Like not not not Efrain: Yeah. Karen Towery: And on the simplest of of terms, people don't think that I'm gonna go be a staff at Evergreen. They don't think they're gonna get to do that. But as the the leadership, that's what we try to to pump into them is like It is not just a show up, clock in, do the thing and go home. It's a you get to determine what this person's eight hours that you're with them looks like. And it can be super positive or it can be super negative, but you get to change a life one way or the other. Efrain: And there's yeah, it's fulfilling when you get to be a part of someone's journey in that space. Karen Towery: Mm-hmm. Efrain: what what does Karen do to turn it off? You know? She goes to work, it seems like that's a fun thing, but what is Karen doing to just kind of sometimes silent the noise and bring peace back, whatever that may look like, gardening, swimming, fishing? What is Karen doing? Karen Towery: So this is, you know, when you have a calling and it's your purpose, you do it constantly. But in those few moments that I think about doing something other than, I like to garden. I do like to garden. I like animals. I have chickens and ducks and geese and whoops Efrain: All at your house. Karen Towery: it. Yes. Yes. I'm in Texas. Yeah. Efrain: my god. My wife wants me to do that. I said, Who d who do you think is gonna chase these chickens? And she say, You I'm like, I'm not chasing no chickens. Karen Towery: Extremely therapeutic. It really, really is. so you know, just some of that, yeah, and gardening and things, but you know, for the most part, and and after Efrain: Not that. Karen Towery: doing this for so long, it's just such a part of who I am that I don't always feel like I need to disconnect from it. you know, it's just part of Efrain: Got it. Got it. Karen Towery: what I do, but You know, and I love my family. You know, I love I love God. I I try to do those things, but and I think that that all kind of flows together with what I'm doing with Evergreen too. Efrain: Yeah. So you would say that you're living the dream, what do you say, Karen? Karen Towery: Yeah, definitely. Definitely. I mean, there's always struggles. Like nonprofit world, baby, you're always gonna have struggles for sure. You're always going to need more money. You're always going to need your legislators and your decision makers at the state level and at the national level to hear you and make decisions that are gonna help. But at the end of the day, just the day in and day out of the people being with them, making decisions that affect them right now. That's living the life. Yes. It really is. Efrain: If you could just leave us with some words of encouragement to those, I would say colleagues, those that are in the nonprofit space, healthcare, let's say higher ed, that are probably sometimes asking themselves, Am I in the right place? Because it is challenging. It seems tough at times, because as we mentioned, just kind of where we're at nationally, how do you get them to continue to just see their why? What are some of the words of encouragement, Karen? Karen Towery: You know, I think the easiest thing and I think that I've I've had to do often, definitely more so in the beginning, is to remember why I do it in the in the first place. And I think for folks who take these jobs for just for money, again it's nonprofit, so it's not a lot of money, right? Efrain: Mm-hmm. Karen Towery: they go, they go, they don't stay. But the ones who stay are the ones who have that driving, purposeful passion within them. And I I so I so I guess since you bring that up, that's what I have to do. I have to go back to this is why I'm here. I have to look at the Hadleys and the Michaels in their faces and go, this is why I do it. And it kind of grounds you. it balances stuff out and and that's what I tell my staff too, is like when it starts getting hectic, just go s go have lunch with one of your folks. Sit down, it's gonna bring you all back to why you're doing it. Yeah. Efrain: How does someone get involved with Evergreen? What is the website? What is the socials? Karen Towery: So Evergreenls or G, that's our our website. Go on that. tells a little bit about every area and what we do. social media, Evergreen Life Services. We do have a pretty big social media presence. We have a A great communications department. So they're really good at putting out our events and just really highlighting the folks that we serve. and I tell everybody all the time there's there's a place for everybody in Evergreen. If you need a job, we always need staff. If you need purpose, we got the folks. If you have talents, come on in. We're gonna have a place for you to do your talents. And like you said, it's not all about your time, your talents, your your resources. that's what we need. We need your time. volunteers, we need your talents. Come teach our folks how to crochet if you know how to crochet. Or that pecan pie that I mentioned. Come in and teach us how to make a a pecan pie really good. and then of course resources Efrain: Yeah. Karen Towery: anytime. And and we we welcome anybody that that wants to come do that. So website, social media, yeah. And then I think any anybody that you you want to do it, there's gonna be somebody for you to get a hold of. You can find it through that. Efrain: Yes, man. Well, Karen, thank you so much for your time here today. I had a blast with you. Just a lot of laughter, a lot of smiling. I could tell that you love to do this. not just by the years of service, but just the way that you speak about it. So we always appreciate those that are doing work that is not about, as you mentioned, a paycheck, but it's truly out of passion and purpose, is about people. there's nothing like it when you can just pour into somebody else's cup that allows us to be filled as well. So if you guys are still Karen Towery: Yeah. Efrain: watching, Make sure you guys check out Karen at evergreenls.org. Check them out on social and see how you can also be a part of it. It doesn't always have to be monetary. It could be just your time, as she mentioned, resources, building bridges that we'd even know existed. I'm Efrain. Karen Towery: Yes. Efrain: This is Karen. We'll catch you in the next one. Laters. Karen Towery: Bye.