Exploring Life & Business with Hillary Kirkendall of Wedgwood Christian Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hillary Kirkendall

Hillary, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In college, I did a fair amount of waffling on what I wanted to do. I tried lots of classes, trying to figure out how to use my creativity in a meaningful (and sustainable) way. I landed in public relations and advertising, but still unsure how I could find purpose in the field. I went to a campus event where the guest speaker talked about working to make a difference and living out his calling with a non-profit. That night it all clicked – I wanted to use my creative skills to support important work in the non-profit world.

Fast forward a few years later, I started working for Wedgwood Christian Services – the very same organization that the guest speaker I heard in college worked for. It was really a full-circle thing.

I’ve been with Wedgwood for nearly a decade now. It is so fulfilling to use my gifts and talents to help others. I really enjoy being behind the scenes to support the incredible people doing incredibly meaningful work. As the Lead Marketing & Communications Coordinator, I aim to elevate our important mission of extending God’s love through vital mental health services, sharing powerful stories of transformation, and encouraging others to use their skills to impact our community. Whether is creating a flyer a team can use to promote their services, helping co-workers think creatively on how to reach people, or sharing success stories with supporters – it is so rewarding to know that what I do can help others fulfill their purpose and calling!

Where I find the most joy in my work is listening to people share their hearts and their passions. And I have the (unexpected) great joy and privilege of hosting Wedgwood’s Coffee Break Conversation Podcast. It is my absolute favorite thing to do. I LOVE not only being able to listen to my co-workers and community leaders about their work and hearing their hearts, but really elevating and giving their valuable insights a platform. Wedgwood is blessed with truly incredible people and it is such an honor to share that with the community. I never thought I would be in front of a camera or hosting anything – but here we are! I love getting to have hopeful, helpful, and approachable conversations around mental health.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Good things rarely come from smooth trips.

My early career was riddled with imposter syndrome. In a field where everything is constantly evolving and innovating – it can be very easy to feel like you can’t keep up and that you aren’t good enough.

I had to learn to be confident in who I am, what I am capable of, and what I bring to the table. That comes with experience and time. I’ve also been very lucky to learn and grow in and encouraging environment and with incredibly supporting teams and leaders.

I recently had the privilege of attending an event in which Oprah was the keynote speaker. She shared that she’d never experienced imposter syndrome (sorry, Oprah, can’t relate!) but then she explained why. She said that her foundation of knowing and understanding she is a child of God, and the fact that she was in the room was proof enough that she deserved to be there. What a good reminder! I have been living by that thought ever since.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Wedgwood Christian Services?
Wedgwood Christian Services is a non-profit organization dedicated to extending God’s love to our community by providing critical mental health services. Founded in 1960, Wedgwood offers Counseling Services to kids, adults, and families in West Michigan, trauma-informed Residential Care for teens in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, and a wide variety of Community Programs.

Counseling Services: Outpatient therapy services for kids, teens, adults, and families. Our variety of services provided in our counseling center allows for truly specialized, tailored options for whatever mental health struggles individuals are facing. (Most insurances are accepted!)

Residential Care: On average, the teens in Wedgwood’s Residential Care have experienced 7-12 failed out of home placements. 100% of kids have experienced immense prior to arriving in Wedgwood’s care. Wedgwood offers 9 specialized Residential treatment programs. As many are wards of the state, donor support is integral to these programs.

Community Programs: Wedgwood offers an impressive variety of community programs including in-school prevention and student development programs, Autism Center for Child Development, family support services, and human trafficking awareness and prevention education.

Wedgwood is a place where healing begins – wherever life finds you. As a Christian organization, Wedgwood firmly believes that each person is an image-bearer of God and deserves the most excellent care and treatment.

The state of mental health is dire, but Wedgwood is a light in the darkness, providing over thirty services to restore hope and empower resiliency.

Wedgwood’s services are available to all. With the support of our community – Wedgwood is able to provide unique, impactful programs that support a person’s mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
As an only child, I really treasured all my relationships and experiences with my friends. My parents were so gracious in allowing their home to be the place where my friends were always welcome to just hang around.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/wedgwoodcs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wedgwoodcs
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wedgwoodchristianservices
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WedgwoodCS