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MEET CHRIS BURKS
YMCA COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER
We would like to introduce you to Chris Burks, YMCA Community Health Worker. Chris serves as the point of contact for families and individuals who are referred to him from the Great Rivers Hub. He identifies each individual’s risks, identifies achievable outcomes to reduce those risks, and navigates clients through community systems to obtain the services they need. Chris is 1 of 8 Community Health Workers in our community.
In his first year, Chris has worked with 45 individuals in a variety of ways. From helping families and individuals find housing to connecting community members to resources that will support their mental health to delivering meals to households, he is impacting lives every day.
Last week, Chris was asked to assist a woman who was at the hospital and in need of assistance. He connected her with a local shelter because she was at risk of homelessness and then worked with her to apply for housing resources in our community. This week, with the Y truck full of furnishings, he helped her move into an apartment. They will continue to work through the barriers she is facing until she is ready to move forward independently.
"I don't know how I would have been able to do this without you (Chris) or the Y."