For Angelo Dela Cruz, working at Loretto is a family affair.

Angelo, his mother Alice, and his sister Crystal are all Loretto employees, and together, they are building a new life in Syracuse, New York.

“I was born in the Philippines, moved with my mom and sister to Italy for five years, and then came to the United States in 2019 to live with my grandmother in the Bronx. When it was time for my grandmother and her husband to retire, we all moved to Syracuse to get out of New York City.

When they first arrived, Angelo’s mother struggled to find work. “My mom applied for jobs in the food service industry, but no one would hire her because she didn’t have any experience. It was really frustrating because she desperately wanted to gain that experience and provide for her family, but it seemed like no one was willing to take a chance on her.”

Thankfully, Loretto did. She was thrilled to have the opportunity to work as a server at The Nottingham, a Loretto senior living community. She started in the dining room but would fill in whenever they needed help washing dishes, acting as a hostess, or helping with meal preparation.

Management noticed her willingness to help and impressive work ethic and offered to train Alice as a supervisor. She is now the kitchen supervisor and manager for the Assisted Living and The Borer Memory Care Communities at The Nottingham.

“When we saw how happy my mom was working at Loretto and how she was being treated, my sister Crystal and I started working at Loretto, too; she started as a server at The Nottingham after she graduated from high school, and when I turned 16, I started working at The Nottingham as a server as well.”

Angelo liked being a server because he enjoyed getting to know the residents. It wasn’t long before his manager saw potential in Angelo and asked if he wanted to learn how to be a line cook because they needed help in the kitchen.

Angelo said, “The Loretto cooks trained me, and I was able to become a line cook, serving meals each day and making beautiful food. I was learning a new skill, and I could still visit my residents in the dining room to say hello. It was the best of both worlds.”

Seeing how much Angelo liked interacting with residents, Angelo’s mom encouraged him to take advantage of Loretto’s Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA) Training Program. This two-week paid-training course teaches people new to healthcare how to care for others. Graduates receive New York State certification and are guaranteed employment with benefits at Loretto upon graduation.

Angelo graduated from the CHHA Training Program in September 2023 and began working as a CHHA at the Borer Memory Life Community at The Nottingham. Working as a CHHA, he realized how much he liked caring for others. In 2024, he applied and was accepted into the Licensed Practical Nurse Program, another paid training opportunity Loretto offers to help employees advance their healthcare careers. He graduated in August, earning a special recognition for his academic achievements.

“Loretto has been good to our family. We all have good employment and chances to earn certifications, which has helped our family. Recently, my mom purchased her first home, which was a big deal for us. We are thankful for the opportunity to work at Loretto.”