Pam Cameron, Michigan State Winner

(Rochester, MI) Community Alternatives Michigan (CAMI) Direct Support Professional Pam Cameron has cared for people since she was nine when her mother became ill and she took over the care of her two younger brothers. She hasn’t stopped since.

“It’s a call in my life to take care of people,” Ms. Cameron said. “I enjoy what I do. I love what I do.”

Her remarkable dedication earned her ANCOR’s DSP of the Year in the state of Michigan. Ms. Cameron traveled to New Orleans to receive her award along with other state winners.

She said, “It’s such a pleasure and an honor to go to New Orleans. I am humbly honored. I haven’t traveled to many places.”

Although she hasn’t traveled much, Ms. Cameron speaks English, Spanish and knows sign language. Those skills help her communicate the wants and needs of the people she supports.

She found a wonderful use for her talents when a man was recently transferred from another provider to CAMI. She learned that he had lost contact with his family. With Ms. Cameron’s help he was reunited with his family in Mexico.

“When we found this man, he didn’t have anything,” Ms. Cameron said. “He didn’t have a green card and couldn’t speak any English. All he wanted was a bar of soap.”

She worked tirelessly to reconnect him with his family and help return safely home.

Ms. Cameron has also traveled to other agencies in Michigan to teach them how to communicate with individuals through sign language.

“With Pam’s dedication and teaching, a person she supports can now communicate with staff that had no sign language skills,” Laura Lynn Smith, program director and field supervisor for CAMI, said. “During her five years of service, she has helped so many people. Her commitment to the people she supports allows the Community Alternatives Michigan program to be the best that we can be!”