Staff Spotlight: Hannah Landgraf | Senior Program Manager, Anawim Housing | January 20, 2023
We sat down with Hannah Landgraf to learn more about how she is helping those we serve through permanent supportive housing as a Senior Program Manager with Anawim Housing:
What is your position and how long have you been with Anawim?
I am a Senior Program Manager and have been with Anawim Housing for 5 1/2 years.
What can you tell us about the specific program you work for?
Anawim's Permanent Supportive Housing programs provide safe, stable, and affordable housing for individuals in our community who have history of homelessness and are living with a disability. For over 20 years, we have been working to end homelessness in Des Moines by providing housing to those who need it most. Once folks are housed, we partner with them to meet their unique goals. For some, that might be work, sobriety, or education. For others, that means reconnecting with family, volunteering in the community, or healing from trauma.
What motivates you in your work for Anawim Housing?
A deep, unwavering belief that recovery & healing is possible—that we all deserve second, third, and even forth chances.
What does a typical day in the life of a program manager consist of?
From meeting with new referrals, and handing over keys on move-in day, to helping participants navigate the real & complex challenges of maintaining stable housing, every day is different. Often I am out in the field providing support to our program managers, meeting with landlords to discuss their concerns, or working with our team to think creatively about the problems our tenants face and how we can help solve those problems.
What is a favorite memory you have from working in the field?
I have done hundreds of home visits throughout my time with Anawim, and I remember so many of these seemingly mundane visits fondly. It is a big deal for a tenant to allow us into their home—their safe space—and to sit at their kitchen table sharing about their life, struggles, and dreams.