“It takes a special person to do this kind of work, and it is easy for Mid-Michigan Industries (MMI) staffers to get burned out and move on, but Nick has just gotten better and better,” shares Laura Platcha on her appreciation for MMI community living support staff member Nick Wojciechowski, who has worked with her adult disabled son for a few years.
“He is so kind and patient,” she continues. “And always goes above and beyond to make my son (and all the people he works with) feel special, cared for, and valued.”
Mid-Michigan Industries (MMI) is a nonprofit that aims to support the local central Michigan community—including people with diverse needs—by creating meaningful connections through employment, training, and inclusive opportunities.
Through employment, community connections, and youth services, the organization works to embrace abilities, break barriers, and see real transformation in real people.
Epicenter Mt. Pleasant spoke with Wojciechowski about his role, his passion for the community, and how he remains upbeat and inspired—even on hard days.
Epicenter Mt. Pleasant: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and where you grew up?
Nick Wojciechowski: I’m 37 years old and I’ve lived in Mt. Pleasant my whole life. I went to Mission Creek Elementary School, Sacred Heart Academy, and Mt. Pleasant High School. I graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science and Sociology. I knew I wanted to work with people and help people in some capacity. When I saw MMI was hiring about 14 years ago, I thought it was a great opportunity to work with people and still ‘stay home,’ if you will.
Epicenter: Can you tell us a little bit about your role with MMI and what you appreciate about the organization?
Wojciechowski: I’m a community living support staff, and I currently work with seven different men. I basically integrate them into the community to do activities or tasks that they would like to do. It might be going to Morey Courts to play basketball or exercise, go shopping for groceries, or some other ones just need motivation or reminders to clean their apartment or do certain tasks at home.
Epicenter: Why do you feel like your position as a community living support member is still important, especially in a post-COVID world where some folks are still isolated and distanced?
Wojciechowski: As much as the fine print of the job description says we’re not supposed to be friends with our consumers we work with everyday, I think it’s important and great to see the bond that they appreciate with you. Someone might still get excited and try to hug me. I might need to redirect them politely and remind them that we don’t touch or hug. From a distance, I still find it neat how excited a lot of people get to see me at times.
I also hear a lot of parents say, “He gets really bored here at home. It would excite him or make him really happy if he can just go out and see some new places or get a meal at a restaurant.”
I know it’s a big breakthrough to simply break that barrier and just get out of the house. I also noticed moms, dads, or guardians relieved to get a little break. It’s nice to gain their trust, and it’s neat to provide that relief for them.
Epicenter: What are some of those stand-out moments that remind you why you love your job, and why the work you do is impactful?
Wojciechowski: It’s nice to see that person jump up and down, laugh, smile, and get excited to see me. It’s also nice to hear that maybe the one time I explained to a consumer how to fill out a job application, that it had a little contribution to him getting a job at Burlington or something. That brings some satisfaction, just helping with that little step.
Epicenter: As you help folks with everyday tasks that are big hurdles for them, what are some of the lessons that the people you’re working with have shown you or reminded you of that are important?
Wojciechowski: They’ve definitely taught me to not listen solely to the words, or maybe that big gesture they can make. They’ve taught me it’s very important to read every form of body language. They’ve taught me a great lesson to look deeper for emotions and feelings. When I’m able to figure something like that out, and I see them happier and relieved, it makes all the difference in just one shift sometimes.
Epicenter: What keeps you motivated, inspired, and helps avoid burnout from your current role?
Wojciechowski: Getting sleep for myself is definitely important. I’ve had a past with epilepsy, and I’ve got to keep myself healthy through sleep and the sleep reset really helps me a lot. I have a pretty skewed schedule and don’t work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday. On tougher days, going home and having a supportive wife reminding me that it will get better is helpful. Getting encouragement from even my mom, or my wife that “it doesn’t last forever.” Yeah, you might have a bad day today, but then you have a great day the next.
Epicenter: Did you have any kind of professional mentors along the way?
Wojciechowski:
I definitely look up to my current boss, Laurie Matties. She’s the one that took the brave jump into hiring me. I know that males in this direct care field of people with disabilities are quite rare; it’s a trend I’ve noticed. It’s very heavily female-driven in the direct care aspect.
Laurie is definitely the one I look up to when reminding me to maintain patience and not getting down on myself on the toughest of days. I remind myself that she’s a supervisor, staying as calm and positive as possible and I’m certain her job is tougher than mine. I really look up to Laurie for her demeanor and taking the chance to hire me.
Epicenter: Looking ahead, what do you hope to accomplish professionally in this role in the future?
Wojciechowski: I do definitely want to keep learning about possible jobs, maybe up in the management level. I like working more directly with the consumers rather than an office job though. I certainly just want to keep learning about as many people that get served in the industry as possible. My goal is to keep getting to know the people that I’m working with, and maintaining trust with those families.
Epicenter: What else do you want the community to know about?
Wojciechowski: I just look forward to seeing my people every day. I do want to thank all my coworkers for transporting us around to different places and including us in their groups. That means a lot. I thank my coworkers for all their help.