12-10-2023 Top Workplaces - Flipbook - Page 10
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Richcroft:
Making an
impact on lives
BY DONNA M. OWENS
When Oladayo Solanke migrated from Nigeria to the United States for a new life, she prayed
to find a job, one that would enable her to uplift
people.
But she never imagined that being hired in the
country’s multibillion dollar caregiving industry
would lead to a White House invitation.
Following a flurry of calls, emails and background checks, Solanke’s serendipitous visit
happened April 18. That day in the Rose Garden,
President Joe Biden signed an executive order
to expand access to affordable, high-quality care
and provide support for care workers and family
caregivers.
Solanke was there, proudly representing her
family, the National Alliance for Direct Support
Professionals and her employer, Richcroft Inc.,
a Hunt Valley-based nonprofit organization
that provides residential and personal care and
support for individuals with intellectual and
developmental disabilities.
“I was near the front, wearing a name tag
when the president signed the order,” Solanke
said of the ceremony, after which she shook
Biden’s hand. “It was a dream I could have never
dreamt. When I got back to work, it was like I
was a celebrity.”
Richcroft, founded in June 1983, has nearly
500 employees and runs more than 50 residences in locations throughout Baltimore,
Carroll, Harford and Howard counties. Its
mission is to “create opportunities and cultivate
relationships that enable every person to live
their best life.”
That philosophy underscores Solanke’s role
as a certified direct care professional, a position
she’s held at Richcroft for more than two years.
Working from a residence in Baltimore
10 | 2023 | TOP WORKPLACES
County, she provides hands-on care to three
individuals, tending to responsibilities that run
the gamut from meal preparation to personal
grooming. She works nights and weekends, and
the schedule can prove demanding.
Still, Solanke said, it “gives her joy.”
“I chose this career path because I have this
passion in me to care for people,” she said. “I
love to assist people and put smiles on their
faces.”
Richcroft CEO Kevin Drumheller views such
feedback — not to mention the surprise White
House invitation — as validation of the company’s culture of caring, respect and empathy for
clients, their families and the team.
“We just celebrated our 40th birthday, and we
are built on the concept of servant leadership,”
he said. “It’s about training, growth, promotion
and eliciting feedback so that our employees feel
valued. We treat them right.”
Drumheller, who holds advanced degrees in
social work and education, launched his own
career some three decades ago in the caregiver
arena.
“I was a mental health counselor for kids” at a
local hospital, he said. “I’ve done it, and I understand the importance of having good people in
these positions.”
Shontae Jones is Richcroft’s director of
human resources. She said the company’s leadership strives to create an environment where
“everyone not only feels a deep sense of purpose
in their work, but where they also feel valued,
appreciated and heard.”
To that end, Richcroft made “significant
investments” during the coronavirus pandemic
to maintain a quality workforce amid widespread national staff shortages, and those goals
Above: Richcroft offers support services for adults
and children with intellectual and other
developmental disabilities. Michelle Council, left, a
Richcroft staff member, visits the Rose of Sharon
Equestrian School with Ryan Skelley as part of
Richcroft’s Community Development Services
program. LLOYD FOX/BALTIMORE SUN
have continued. Compensation is one key example.
“We pay our people well,” Drumheller said.
Richcroft’s executives told The Baltimore
Sun that it has boosted starting salaries for
direct-support professionals several times, totaling a 58% increase.
In addition to monetary investments, employees are being offered a variety of training and