Unlike many departments at ACTION-Housing, the accounting department serves a unique role in that the agency is their main client.  Each accountant spends time working individually with different ACTION departments to ensure proper funding and maintaining fiscal responsibility.  One such accountant, Luke Burns, works in conjunction with MyPlace case managers to make payments, offer fiscal resources, and continue to improve the lives of clients within the Rapid Re-housing (RRH), FFI, and College program.

One aspect that Ryan Gordon, a MyPlace case manager, highlighted was their relationship working to provide groceries to clients in need.  Once a case manager identifies that one of their clients needs assistance to afford groceries, they gather a list of grocery requests and then Luke processes and pays for the order, which can typically be delivered the same day within a few hours.  Ryan pointed out that because many of these clients face housing instability and homelessness, this seemingly simple process can make a world of a difference.

In addition, as the program accountant, Luke is often called upon to assist the case managers in problem solving and finding solutions to their clients’ unique situations.  From helping a homeless client get a security deposit paid so they can move into new housing, to helping a client rent a U-Haul to efficiently move across the country for a new job opportunity, there is always a new challenge around each corner.  Ryan notes that “Luke is empathetic and looks for solutions even without directly knowing the clients.”  It is this relationship that contributes to the continued success from both an accounting and programmatic perspective.