Chapel Haven is already known as a happy place for its employers and the adults we serve. Our staff turnover rate is an enviable 6 percent in a field where the rate is often 50 percent or higher, meaning staff like what they are doing and they stay with it!
But things have gotten even better with a Chapel Haven Wellness program implemented by fitness-minded President Michael Storz and recognized statewide with the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Workplace Wellness Award. Along with Easter Seals, Elim Park and Shubert Theatre, Chapel Haven was recognized by the chamber’s Health Care Council June 9 during a packed ceremony at Masonicare in Wallingford. Read more below about all we are doing on our campus.
“Our goal has been to promote a culture of health and fitness at every level,” Mike said. “I have been so happy to see our employees taking time to work out and get healthy. ”
Chapel Haven’s wellness program gained momentum with an award-winning partnership with the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center entitled, “The Weigh to Live,” a unique classroom-style curriculum which is teaching our adults with a variety of disabilities how to live healthier lives. Since then, Chapel Haven has spearheaded a variety of incentives offered free or with considerable subsidies from the agency to make it easy and affordable for employees to take time from the work day to exercise and lead a healthier and less stressful lifestyle. Those initiatives include:
Left to right, Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo, Einera Beauvais, Michael Storz, Jeannie Jamieson, Jason Leydon of Crossfit Milford and Jill Meyerhoff, Cornell-Scott Hill Health Center, were at the award ceremony.
- Chapel Haven for two years has offered Weight Watchers at Work – open to all employees, facilitated by a Weight Watchers leader who comes from Orange, CT to our campus every Friday. Chapel Haven paid half the cost for each employee who joined, and also paid for free Active Links for each employee. Incentives are offered to keep employees enrolled. This spring, over a period of 10 weeks, employees collectively lost 91 pounds!
Crossfit of Milford – Chapel Haven is subsidizing the cost for a Crossfit program that occurs twice a week, right at Chapel Haven for all interested employees. Trainer Jason Leydon is our facilitator and he is fantastic!
Chapel Haven has its own Fitness Center on the lower level of our community center and just this year, used the proceeds from the Chapel Haven Bowlathon to completely revamp the fitness center. It is now equipped with approximately $8,000 in new equipment, including Crossfit rowers, ellipticals, treadmills and weight lifting equipment. An experienced trainer works with Chapel Haven clients each day on fitness and weight-loss goals.
- Free classes in Zumba and yoga are being introduced and made available to all staff.
- Staff fill out raffle tickets for every wellness activity they do during the work day and prizes are allotted, including Fit bracelets, Weight Watchers incentive products, etc.
Our Wellness Program is probably one of the best received new initiatives we have done to date and employees are continuously stopping into our President’s office, either to thank him or to suggest another class we can offer on campus!
