A Valpo Life in the Spotlight: Alicia Harden

Alicia Harden knows firsthand how crucial it is to be able to reach out for help during difficult times. Growing up, her family faced numerous financial struggles, and she was grateful for the assistance her family was able to receive from community-based services. Now, she lives her life dedicated to helping others through life’s greatest challenges.

Harden is the assistant director at Hilltop Neighborhood House, an organization that prioritizes education, childcare, and other assistance for families in need. Harden’s career began in preschool education, but while serving as an educator with Hilltop, she quickly proved herself as a leader and rose to the role she now holds.

“Growing up, my family was one of those that needed assistance with groceries and paying bills,” Harden said. “As a young child, it seemed to me like it was such a hardship for my mom and my grandmother to find these resources. To now be a part of an organization that not only makes these resources available, but that also makes them easy to reach without judgment is so inspiring to me.”

Harden grew up throughout various parts of Chicago, ultimately graduating from Thornton Fractional North High School. After that, she attended Purdue University Northwest, as well as Ivy Tech Community College, where she received degrees in child development and early childhood education.

Harden’s nieces attended Hilltop as toddlers, and though they spent only a short amount of time in the program, the impact it had on their lives was meaningful. When Harden heard of an opening in Hilltop’s childcare program, she applied. She was looking for a change from the work she’d been doing for several years prior, and she was familiar with the organization’s excellent work. She was hired, and very quickly was able to excel at every role she was given.

“To be a part of a program that genuinely cares about each and every person in our community, no matter who they are, where they live, or what they need means everything to me,” Harden said. “I’m a part of a program where families don’t have to choose between feeding their family and paying the light bill. Both of those things can happen with a little bit of help from the community, so being a part of that fills my cup with so much joy every single day.”

Hilltop has helped Harden live her life in service to her community – an act which has given her immense joy and fulfillment.

“We have our hunger relief programs, which consist of our food pantry, our mission kitchen, and a mobile pantry unit,” Harden said. “We also have a bookmobile that goes out into the different communities to mostly seniors or persons with disabilities. We have a community garden as well. Having all of those different programs and the community feel of Hilltop is what drew me back to it when I was looking for change in my career. Now, here we are, 10 years later. Hilltop was the first place that I taught preschool, and I fell in love with it. But the real magic of Hilltop, I think, is the community feel you get from whatever program you’re in. It feels natural and not forced. They are here to help the community better itself each and every single day.”

Harden’s passion for childhood education and community assistance is rooted in her own experience as well as her family. Her grandmother is a retired preschool teacher and the first person to plant the idea of education into Harden’s mind. She used to assist her grandmother in the classroom, and she realized how naturally the love of the environment felt for her. As a preschool teacher herself, Harden focused on creating a safe, nourishing space for young minds to grow in love and learn to be themselves without judgment.

“My two sisters are some of my greatest motivators,” Harden said. “It’s been three of us against the world since we were in diapers, so they are truly my support system, and they are consistently my biggest cheerleaders. I have so many wonderful examples of working women in my life. I take their outlook on life, and I incorporate that into what I’m doing on a daily basis.”

Outside of work, Harden enjoys recharging and relaxing at home more than anything. While community work is fulfilling and her greatest passion, it can also be draining. To keep her life balanced, she indulges in her natural creativity, whether it’s through art or music or even assembling a puzzle. She understands the value of self-care in a life that is dedicated to helping others, and with her two cats and her cozy apartment, she can retreat to her haven every day to ensure she wakes up refreshed and renewed to meet new challenges.

“Community is built through relationships,” Harden said. “Some of the most meaningful moments in my job come from connecting with our volunteers, all of our donors, the local businesses, and especially the families we serve. These people are not just community members; they are part of our culture and a part of our Hilltop family. Being able to communicate with them and connect with them in these wonderful ways, and seeing people come together to support that, reminds me every day of why I’m doing this job, even on the hard days.”

For more information on Hilltop Neighborhood House, visit www.hilltophouse.org.