Kevin Taylor, an Arc of Essex County Assistant Director of Residential Services, loves finding solutions and putting together a game plan to support the residents in his care. As the point person for apartment programs in Newark, West Orange, Irvington, Maplewood, and Fairfield, he works closely with the managers and staff in each program to support the dozens of residents he oversees.
It’s a natural place for him to land after moving through the ranks as a direct-support professional, then a shift supervisor, and then a manager, before ending up at The Arc’s main office in his current role in 2023.
But his Arc story is also unexpected in many ways: Kevin began his career working in the accounting field. It was only after learning about the needs of a couple of relatives with developmental challenges and then volunteering his time working with kids with autism in his community did he start on the path that would eventually bring him to The Arc. The organization he volunteered for ended up creating a staff position for Kevin, where he raised money through grants and put together budgets, in addition to working with the children in the program. After a few years, he started to become interested in working with the adult IDD population, which eventually brought him to the 705 Apartment Program.
“I think what I found most touching was how the consumers really rely on us, and we become their family,” he says. “It’s hard to explain that to people on the outside, but I’m still always checking on people, and they still treat me like family even though I’m no longer part of their day-to-day.”
Kevin spends a lot of time doing paperwork for the programs—one of the tasks that takes him back to his background in accounting—and checks in with his managers regularly. He also visits the apartments and gets the chance to meet with the staff and residents and make sure everything is running smoothly. “My main focus is on the residents and their safety and happiness,” he says. “Knowing they have what they need, their medications are set, there’s food in the refrigerator. It may sound corny, but it really makes me feel the best when I walk out the door and know they’re all set.”
In just one example of a small effort that makes a big difference, when an Arc resident desperately wanted a cell phone but did not have the money to purchase one, Kevin and his team researched options and ultimately figured out a way to secure a free phone from a government program. “I just know how much that will make him happy,” Kevin says. “It’s so satisfying that we can make that happen.”
When Kevin is at the office, he says working with his team of residential ADs has been such a positive part of his workday. “We really are a tight-knit team,” he says. “We meet weekly, we’re always in contact with each other, we help each other out.” He also connects with the managers in his programs, bolstered by his own experience in prior roles—not only can he relate to the staff, but he can also hop in and directly help when needed. “I try to be hands on,” he says.
Whether he’s completing trainings, revising individualized support plans, or even tracking down government cell phones, the little things are the big things. “You always want to do a great job,” he says, “and I’m always focusing on the consumers and making sure I’m doing the best job that I can do for them.”