Dick Heidt - City Magazine

| CITY MAGAZINE & KFYR
Salutes
HIT, Inc.
One of the non-profits in the Bismarck-Mandan
area that has earned
a golden reputation
for serving
By Tom Regan
“ Caring for somebody
is where it's at for me...
no matter how big or
small a step you help
someone accomplish, it's
so rewarding. ”
Gross, the assistant manager of HIT’s group
home on Apollo Avenue in Bismarck, a facility
geared for younger clients
where HIT staff is on-site
people with disabilities is
HIT, Inc. Now in its 30
12 thecitymag.com
th
24/7. Seven residents, ages
13-23, live at the home.
year, HIT’s overriding
Gross, a wife and mother
philosophy is to surround
of four grown children, has
clients and their families
worked at the Apollo loca-
with services that, first and
tion for 21 years. She started
foremost, promote indepen-
with HIT as a direct support
dence, dignity and respect
professional and advanced
for the individual.
into a management position.
With the goal of helping
She anticipates spending her
people with disabilities live as independently as entire career at the Apollo home. “I could have
their abilities will allow, HIT integrates clients transferred to other departments within HIT, or
into the fabric of the community as much as to other group homes, but this is where I want
possible. To that end, HIT and its approximately to be,” says the 55 year old.
400 employees operate a number of residential Gross especially enjoys the family atmo-
services, as well as vocational and pre-vocationsphere that pervades the home. “I have my famal
training programs.
ily at home, and I have my family here,” she says.
HIT also sees to it that clients participate in Michele Ehlis, 47, another long-term em-
the full array
ployee (15
of recreational
years) and
and cultural
also a wife
opportunities
and mother,
in the com-
is part of the
munity.
HIT team
“We go
that provides
shopping, to
vocational
movies and
services at
concerts, even
its facility
to places like
at 1402 2
Medora and
the State Fair,”
says Julia
nd
Street NW,
Mandan.