Terry Latham

After completing 28 years of Naval service, I began working as a case manager at the University of Southern Missouri with Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange.

Then, I attended a meeting of a citizens group that was trying to raise funds to open a shelter for abused/neglected children. I volunteered to write grants for them and, after one was approved, they offered me the job of director of the nonprofit €called Hope Haven Children’s Services  – and manager of the shelter. I have done that for 20+ years and will retire a second time soon.

What motivated me to do this work was learning about the need for a local shelter. The grant I obtained gave them 60 days to find a house, staff and all state requirements met. I felt that if I did not step forward to take on this challenge it would never happen.

Over the twenty years, we have cared for 3,000 plus children in the shelter and served thousands more children and families in the community through our other programs. One of the children who came to us was abused after entering the “system” and our exposure of this abuse led to a lawsuit against the State, which continues today. We have been responsible for major reforms in our state’€™s Department of Human Services, leading to better care for children in custody of the State.

What I would like the world to know about older workers is that, because we have the experience of so many different things and in so many different areas, we are better equipped to face and handle things when they occur.

“Been there, done that and have the T-Shirt!”