May 8
10 Years of a Career that Loves you Back
Dedication. That is the word that describes our dearest Community Engagement and Education Manager, Norma Diego. For 10 years Norma has dedicated her time and effort to an ever-changing community.
“My career has grown so much; I started as an education assistant and am now the program manager. I have seen how much the organization has grown over the years, and I couldn’t be prouder to work in the organization where I genuinely believe in its mission”, said Norma.
Norma has seen LCH though eras of growth and has always been a helping hand through its expansion in service. She states, “ten years ago, the only LCH office was in Kennett Square and offered Medical Care and Social Assistance. I have had the opportunity to see the growth in adding Dental Care, a Women’s Health Center, Pediatric Care, and additional Medical Care in Oxford. LCH has quadrupled its services and patients. But it has maintained its mission to help the more vulnerable.”
Mentor, teacher, community resource and leader, Norma wears many hats as a crucial part of our LCH team. Norma’s had the opportunity to impact many lives and has provided the tools they needed to turn into the best version of themselves in the comfort of their own language.
“With GED classes, LCH is the only organization in the area that offer GED classes in Spanish. We all know there is no limited age to continue our education, but our students go about and beyond; they have full-time jobs, family responsibilities, language barriers, and many years of not touching a book. They are eager to complete their education for their benefit and to show their kids the importance of education,” said Norma.
But why has Norma stayed with LCH for so long? Finding a career that loves you back and genuinely cares about your happiness is more difficult than it should be. With LCH Norma has found a place where she can see the impact of her work every day. When asked what was rewarding about her position she said, “after seeing students struggle during classes – when they obtain their GED diploma and [I get to] see their happiness. Every time we help someone become a US citizen, seeing more and more students registering for university, and seeing all their achievements is a reward for me.”
With 50 years of service LCH has influenced many. Our mission is the reason why we continue to help those who need it. “My favorite part of working at LCH is that I get to help the community that welcomed my family and me when we arrived in this country in 1995. Back then, I admired the people willing to help new arrivals to the community, but I never thought I would work assisting the community,” said Norma.
We are beyond grateful for all of the people that join us in completing our mission. We cherish their work from the minute they become a part of our team. We thank Norma for all that she’s done over the past 10 years and cannot wait to keep being her biggest supporters. “I lost track of the years because I enjoy my job. I enjoy coming to work every day. At LCH, there is no day the same as the day before… At LCH, every day it’s a new day!”