If you care about affordable housing, finding fulfillment in your career, or just love hearing the stories of those making a difference, you don’t want to miss this episode.

Welcome back to Heartbeat of Housing! I’m Michelle Voke, and in this episode, I have the pleasure of sitting down with the reigning Service Coordinator of the Year, Landon Butler—brought to life by Corry Michaelis in this conversation.

Join me as I chat with Landon about his winding and inspiring journey from earning a degree in healthcare administration to discovering his true calling as a service coordinator at St. Mary Manor.

We talk about what it was like for him to step into a building that hadn’t had a service coordinator for months, and the creative ways he rebuilt trust, community, and connection—whether through food-filled events like National Donut Day or simply spending the time to build genuine relationships with residents.

Landon opens up about the challenges of burnout, how important it is to advocate for yourself as much as for your residents, and the impact of building strong connections both inside and beyond our buildings.

This is an honest, heartfelt conversation about the highs, the challenges, and the meaning we find working in this field—one resident, and one relationship, at a time.

Here are my top 3 takeaways from the episode:

1. Advocacy Goes Both Ways: Landon reminds us that while advocating for residents is at the heart of the job, advocating for your own support and mental health is just as essential. Speaking up about burnout or support needs ensures you can continue to serve at your best.
2. Relationships Matter More Than Paperwork: The foundation of impactful service coordination is genuine connection—taking the time to know residents well beyond forms and checkboxes, and building trust through conversation and meaningful activities (bonus: never underestimate the power of donuts or a good bingo game!).
3. Community Partnerships Amplify Impact: Landon's success comes in part from reaching outside the building—actively networking to bring in local resources, programs, and intergenerational events that enrich residents’ lives and foster real community.

Advancing national standards of practice for service coordination by amplifying the voice of our members.

We are committed to enhancing service coordination through leadership, professional development, advocacy, and partnerships.

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