Monique: A Pillar of NCS

Monique Phillips knows her way around Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter.

Over the past 15 years, Monique has worked at the NCS Residence, Chance for Change, and Louis Nine House. She started as an Administrative Assistant at the Residence in 2006, then moved to Client Services at Louis Nine House. followed by her time at Chance for Change. In 2018, Monique returned to the Residence and was recently promoted to Program Director there. Her responsibilities have changed throughout her career, but one thing has remained constant: her dedication to NCS’s clients.

“Monique represents the best of NCS,” said Robert Yancey, Chief Program Officer. “She epitomizes and embodies the heart and soul of a dedicated and committed human services worker. She is always willing to give it her all without ever complaining or stopping to think about what she is being asked to do. Her rapport with our residents is amazing to watch.”

Monique’s relationship with NCS’s clients is a part of the job she values the most. “I think our relationship is built on mutual respect and trust,” Monique shared. “I always try to listen to what they’re saying and do my best to address their concerns—I always try. But I don’t make any promises that I can’t keep, and I think they respect that. I think they also appreciate that I have been here for so many years, and I really know them on an individual basis.”

The tenants at the Residence agree. Larry, a tenant at the Residence, shared, “Monique has been great, because she’s been with NCS over time.”

Monique is incredibly passionate about her work at NCS, but she also recognizes that it comes with some challenges. “There were some real traumatic moments for us as a community because of COVID,” Monique continued. “There was a lot for [the staff] to process, but then we all needed to be there for the clients as well.”

And Monique was there for the clients, ensuring they stayed masked and socially distanced. When she noticed that not everyone was complying with the new regulations, she came up with a creative solution: the COVID-19 Warrior Wall. Residents who were “caught” wearing their masks were photographed and featured on a wall at the Residence. Anyone who was featured received a gift card to a local supermarket. When vaccines became available, she helped tenants get vaccinated. She even arranged for vaccines to be administered onsite so residents who have a hard time traveling would be able to easily access them.

Fortunately, Monique shared that thanks to the tenants’ and staff’s commitment to safety, NCS has overcome the challenges that the pandemic posed. “We’ve been doing pretty good despite COVID and all. I think we’ve managed through the rough patches, and we’re finally getting back to smooth surfaces, so we’re looking forward to that. It is so rewarding after all of the hard work we put in to be able to safely enjoy each other’s company again.”

From Administrative Assistant to Program Director, Monique has been a pillar at NCS for more than fifteen years. Her care and passion for her work comes across in everything she does, whether that’s leading a tenant community meeting, overseeing program staff, or simply catching up with a client about their day. Monique’s care shines through everything she does, and everyone at NCS appreciates how she shows up every day for the NCS community.

In honor of NCS’s 40th anniversary, we will be sharing stories about our founders, volunteers, supporters, and staff who make our work possible, and the residents and clients at the center of our mission.
Check back throughout the year as we regularly update the series with new stories from our 40 years here.