Opening doors to new opportunities, Community Habilitation Professional of the Year Ellen Cheng spends time working with the people she supports on skills of everyday living at their homes and in the community.

“We work on things from the beginning and go step by step,” said Ellen. During a shift, Ellen may assist with self-care, help with mastery of a tricky lock, understanding Siri’s spelling function, or even finding new ways to enjoy the community.

Ellen has worked at AHRC for about 15 years and can often be found out and about with the people she supports on the way to yoga, a game of bocce ball, dancing at a concert in the park or even the local Hindu temple.

When accompanying Sumedha Kakar to the Asamai Hindu Temple in Hicksville, Ellen notes “our cultures may be different, there are many of the same meanings.”

Ellen proudly wears a gold and red bracelet she was given as part of a blessing at the temple. She has also shared her own background with the people she supports, bringing her Chinese harp or guzheng to work at Camp Loyaltown.

“In this job, I enjoy meeting with the families and the different personalities and cultures,” said Ellen.

Named Community Habilitation Professional of the Year, Ellen is already well known throughout the program for enthusiasm and wicked sense of fun.