Debrief from the 7th Annual Home Care Conference

Homecare Cooperatives Changing the Industry

Our Highlights from the 7th Annual National Home Care Cooperative Conference

Our team had an amazing time at the 7th annual National Home Care Cooperative Conference, which took place from March 7-10. The conference met in person for the first time since early 2020, and it was a powerful and joyful gathering.

“This was my first time at the conference, and what really stood out to me was the community and how big everyone’s hearts are. I felt immediately welcomed and showered with love from the moment the conference started. Such guerreros and guerreras!! My highlight is the energy and drive that everyone brought to the future of the home care cooperative sector. I came back with my heart full and my mind ready to keep building and supporting the homecare cooperative sector in the US!” - Stephanie Sucasaca, Cooperative Growth Consultant

Stephanie Sucasaca

Cooperative Growth Consultant

“For me, the most special moment of the conference was during the panel ‘New(ish) Kids On The Block,’ when a panel of new-ish cooperative founders and developers reflected on the start-up experience. One of the panelists Victoria Russell expressed her determination to grow A Touch of TLC so that she can pay the help she’s received so far from other cooperatives forward to the next generation of cooperatives. So many great things were shared that are difficult to sum up in a paragraph, but the session ended with a caregiver standing up and welcoming them to ‘our family.’”

Iwona Matzcuk

Senior Social Enterprise Consultant

“For me, I most enjoyed taking in the incredible passion and drive of the caregivers that own these cooperatives. They are entrepreneurial and inspirational, working not only to improve the quality of life for those they provide care to, but also their own quality of life and that of their fellow worker-owners.”

Jonathan Ward

Director of Lending, Fund for Jobs Worth Owning

“It was incredible to finally meet so many home care cooperators in person for the first time. It’s an honor that so many caregivers and administrators make time in their busy lives and work schedules to come together. This experience will continue to fuel me for the year to come!”

Fay Strongin

Senior Consultant

“The annual Home Care Cooperatives Conference is the absolute highlight of my professional year. It is hard to imagine gathering a more caring and inspirational group of people, and there is so much love and respect that flows through the event. This year, Capital Homecare Cooperative caregiver and Executive Director Paulette LaDouceur closed out our conference with a song– “What must be done”-- and everyone clapped along and joined in. It was beautiful and powerful, and reminded me that yes, we are all doing what must be done, and doing it because we care deeply about each other and about creating a better world for all. While the work is often hard and frustrating we will all keep on until caregivers and caregiving gets the respect it deserves and all who need care can access it.”