When Roxanna walks into the office, you can’t help but smile as her positive and cheerful attitude is infectious. As Roxanna shared her story of how she came to America from Cuba, she started to choke up and said, “If it wasn’t for Take Care, I don’t know where my family or I would be right now. Take Care gave me the first opportunity for a better life in America,” she added. “Take Care is very special to me.”
It was August of 2014, when Roxanna filled out an employment application with Take Care to work as a Certified Nursing Assistant. At age 37, Roxanna was starting over. She had just moved to Florida from Cuba barely six months prior. Her English was broken but you could tell she wasn’t going to let that stop her from achieving what she came to do—continue to fulfill her passion for caring for others. In Cuba she was a skilled nurse for more than 15 years. And though her certification did not translate in the US, her passion and ability certainly does. As she penned the application, her smile never wavered. She never showed any negativity or frustration while she was taking the test that accompanies Take Care’s caregiver applications. She took it all in stride.
Her willingness to never give up has brought her to where she is now: holding a steady job (often working with Take Care more than 40 hours a week), saving for a home of her own, and furthering her education as she’s taking classes at Suncoast Technical College.
Her personality and background together made Susanne Wise, RN, MBA, Take Care’s Owner and CEO, take a chance on her.
“There’s a unique person for every client. Having diversity within the company brings a multitude of talents which increases the value of the care Take Care provides and what it has to offer,” said Susanne. “Roxanna is committed, compassionate, and family oriented. She brings these values to the work place and to each client she visits.”
Roxanna is one of many employees Susanne recognizes and helps connect them with resources to further themselves.
Wise built her business by going above and beyond to help her employees achieve a higher level of self-worth and embrace Take Care’s values. She puts into consideration what the person brings to the company, their strengths and builds on them by offering education, mentoring, and training as needed. Thankfully, Roxanna landed at Take Care’s doorstep with the encouragement from one of Take Care’s own: Abby Gerrity, RN, Assistant Director of Client Services. Abby had met Roxanna’s daughter, who spoke very highly of her mother’s experiences as a nurse in Cuba for more than 15 years. When Abby found out her mother was looking for a company to join, without pause she recruited her.
Susanne is a firm believer that employees bring in the best new employees. Take Care offers an employee referral program and more than half of our employees are internal referrals. Take Care employs a broad range of employees and it benefits the company by offering distinctive caregivers to our clients which aides in matching the right caregiver to the right client.
There is a quote by Maya Angelou, “In diversity, there is beauty and there is strength.” Diversity is a critical component to building culture and values at Take Care. The unexpected relationships that we build from having a diverse work place bring about a sense of caring for people regardless of where people are from. This in turn creates a company that is stronger and who stands to support their employees.
This opportunity doesn’t just benefit Roxanna’s immediate family here in the US but also her extended family back in Cuba. She says with pride, “When my father was here to visit from Cuba, he was so proud of me and what I have done here.”
Heart, compassion, and the ability to care for those in need has no color, no sexual orientation and no gender. Employment opportunities with Take Care have no boundaries. We seek giving individuals who embrace Take Care’s values, who possess the skills and the passion to provide the best in care for our clients. That’s what differentiates Take Care.
