MANSFIELD — For 22 years, Brenda Alexander has worked tirelessly to turn lives around as a community healthcare worker (CHW).
It wasn’t her first career path, but the 70-year-old Alexander finds joy in the daily challenges and watching the “light bulb come on” for the hundreds of clients she has served over the years.
Alexander began as a CHW for the Community Health Access Program (CHAP) Hub in 2000, then for the Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP) in 2008.
There is no cookie-cutter job description for Alexander. Whatever a client needs — whether it be medical care, mental-health resources, understanding the food stamps program, having IDs reinstated, going along to doctor’s appointments or watching children — Alexander does it.
“I do it all,” Alexander said. “It’s just my job and I enjoy doing it.”
Alexander’s passion for taking care of others started early when she worked as a candy striper in hospitals, volunteering to help around as needed. Later, Alexander worked as a medical assistant, medical secretary and rode with the EMT rescue squad until migraines forced her to take a step back from such a lively career path.
From there, Alexander worked in doctor’s offices until an opportunity presented itself for her to get involved in community healthcare with CHAP Hub. Alexander went back to school and graduated with an associate’s degree in human services from North Central State College in 2005.
When UMADAOP executive director Dennis Baker began his role in 2008, he wanted to start with a fresh staff. Alexander was the first person he hired out of the now 45-person team.
Baker knew Alexander from working at the Ohio State Reformatory together, where he was the administrative assistant to the warden and she worked in medical records. After years of watching the quality of her work, Baker knew Alexander would excel at UMADAOP.
Baker initially brought Alexander on to focus on the Help Me Grow program – a support system for new mothers, caregivers and families with young children. Over time, however, Alexander’s job evolved to become a CHW.
“She is the epitome of a healthcare worker,” Baker said. “Whatever you ask of her, she’ll do it.
“She helps people that are not even on her caseload,” he continued. “You know, if there’s a need there, doctor appointments, mental health appointments, trying to help people getting medical homes, those kinds of things, that really doesn’t fall under the community health worker umbrella, but she works whatever we need to help our clients beyond just drug and alcohol treatment.”
Alexander has built a reputation for herself after so many years in the business. Compared to knocking on doors and going into schools to find clients 22 years ago, people now come to Alexander after they see what she has done for others.
Alexander said Baker can get on her for being too rough on clients, but she has learned over the years that tough love can be the best way to reach people.
“My boss gets on me sometimes, he goes ‘Stop being so hard and mean, you can’t talk to them like that,’ and not be cracking a laugh,” Alexander said.
“And I said ‘You might be right, but I got the job done.’ I got what I wanted, and they did it, they got the stuff, you know. It’s not easy. I have a difficult caseload … but it’s so rewarding to see when the light comes on and they’re really, really trying.”
While being patient and understanding, Alexander said her goal is to help people, not enable them to continue down their current path. It’s all about self-sufficiency – getting jobs, taking care of themselves and staying clean.
Alexander has around 25 clients she is working with right now. Depending on the extent of help they need, it can take weeks, months or years to get them back on the right track.
A lot of her clients, when they walk into Alexander’s office, are broken, skittish and tired of their lives. No matter what mental state people are in, however, she tries to give them hope for a better tomorrow.
“I try to instill into (clients) that they are somebody and they are worth something,” Alexander said.
“Everybody makes a mistake, but it’s how you deal with your mistake and what you do with that mistake,” she said. “You either turn it into a positive, or you continue to go down a negative road … and remember, God don’t make no junk. You still are somebody, even in your worst state.”
As the only CHW for UMADAOP on Bowman Street, Alexander said she does get overwhelmed at times. But those feelings are heavily outweighed by the rewarding feeling that comes with caring for others.
Baker said UMADAOP is lucky to have such a devoted employee like Alexander. Calling her a “jack of all trades,” Alexander continues to go above and beyond what is expected of her.
“She just does whatever needs to be done,” Baker said.
“Even though I would like to think that if we hired another person, they would take on those same challenges, the reality is I don’t think they would. It’s because it takes a little something extra to do things like that.”
Michelle David, UMADAOP’s chief operating officer, started working with Alexander in 2014. After seeing what an institution Alexander was in the organization, David said she latched onto Alexander trying to learn from her years of experience
From early on, David saw that rather than just working her hours in the office, Alexander truly lives her career.
When the two would take trips to the grocery store, David would watch Alexander go up to women with babies and ask if they needed any assistance. With her background in Help Me Grow, and a special place in her heart for mothers and children, David said Alexander has a bag of infant clothes ready to give away and has even provided some mothers with cribs.
“She takes on her position and sees it through all the way and you know, nowadays, you have a lot of folks that won’t put on a lot of hats in one position,” David said.
“Miss Brenda accepts the challenge and will follow through with it. I wish we had more employees here like that, where you can go to them about anything and they’re not quick to say ‘Well, that’s not my job,’ because Miss Brenda, she’s never said that,” she said.
“I appreciate Miss Brenda and what she does for our clients through the community and just here at UMADAOP. She’s like a mother figure here.”
Alexander’s passion for her job is evident in how she continues to inspire and help community members make a change. Far from stopping, Alexander said even after all this time, she still loves walking into work everyday.
The challenge, her co-workers, and her clients make it all worth it.
“The day that I don’t enjoy walking through those doors and sitting here, then I’m gonna retire,” Alexander said.
“But as long as God gives me strength and gives me a clear mind, I’m gonna continue.”
