Local nonprofits navigate staffing challenges

By Chris Fortune

Sometimes organizations designed to help people need a little bit of help themselves.

The staff at local nonprofits provide social benefits to a community with the help of donors and volunteers, but inadequate staffing can hamper their ability to provide services.

The Social Welfare Board at 904 S. 10th St. offers medical, dental and immigration services. Executive Director Latha Varghese assumed her role two months ago and immediately faced a challenge when two of her medical assistants were leaving.

“We have four providers on a typical day, sometimes we will have like three providers seeing the patients,” she said. “And with two of the (medical assistants) wanting to leave, it’s definitely a nightmare.”

Medical assistants help check patients in, check their vital signs and gather information for their provider. With a medical assistant shortage, other staff members have taken on some of their duties.

“I really appreciate our nurses,” she said. “They kind of pulled up, they worked as a team. I know it is very hard for them.”

Varghese placed job openings on employment websites and was able to quickly fill the staffing void.

“It was challenging to get the right people, but the good news is we already hired one of them,” she said. “They’re going to work part-time, and the other one is on the way, so we will have enough people.”

The Social Welfare Board isn’t the only organization dealing with staffing challenges and shortages. InterServ at 5400 King Hill Ave. is currently hiring caregivers, staff for the senior nutrition program, an assistant cook and staff for its upcoming summer program.

The current staff wear many hats and often move around to fill the nonprofit’s needs.

“We’re working alongside of our staff and helping where needed,” said Sayre Cathcart, director of human resources. “I mean, just the other day we had two staff members who had to stop what they were doing to go in our kitchen and package meals because we were short-staffed.”

Cathcart said InterServ could be facing staffing issues because of the lack of awareness of employment opportunities within nonprofits.

“When they think about going out and looking for a job, they don’t think of us,” she said. “They think of those corporate companies somewhere that they can go and get a job, and they’re applied and hired the next day.”

Local students often provide relief when they work at InterServ over the summer, but when they return to school, the nonprofit must fill the positions again. It presents a challenge because of the need in the community for its programs, which continue to grow.

“And so as those programs grow, so do our staffing needs, so it’s constantly changing,” she said. “I mean, just when we feel like we’re fully staffed, a program really kicks off and we need more help.”

To get involved with InterServ, visit faithfullyserving.org.