From an on-the-spot interview to a new staff spotlight: Meet Ingrid Flores, Way Finders’ bilingual housing resource associate
When Ingrid Flores of Chicopee arrived at the first ever Way Finders’ Coffee and Connections Job Fair in April 2026, which featured a speed-dating format in a casual café atmosphere, she didn’t know what to expect. Minutes later, she landed an on-the-spot interview with Way Finders, one of eight employers at the event. Four months later, she sat down with us to reflect on her new job: bilingual housing resource associate with the Housing Education Services team!
“They have welcomed me with open arms,” said Flores, of her new colleagues at Way Finders’ Springfield Housing Center, where she has worked since mid-June. “That has made it easier for me to kind of just be myself and be the upbeat, positive person that I am.”
Flores, a mother of two and stepmother of two, had been out of the workforce for a while. She was receiving benefits through the Department of Transitional Assistance as she looked for work and attended a job-readiness/training workshop offered through Way Finders’ Employment Support Services.
“It was hard to find a job that really required me to use my brain,” said Flores, who most recently worked in patient transport and as a personal care assistant. “I was kind of feeling defeated. Just a little defeated.”
When asked if her new job has more than met her requirements, Flores smiles.
“I learn something new every single day. I’ve learned both sides, tenants and landlords,” said Flores, who works the front desk at the Housing Center and also answers calls and emails. “My team is on the front lines, we kind of function like traffic control. We have to assess a person’s situation and decide where they need to go, which department or resource they need to work with. Whether it’s for Employment Support Services, home ownership, RAFT [emergency financial housing assistance], or shelter services. We have to figure out what’s best for them, and record notes quickly in the system before moving on to the next person. It’s using my noggin’ a little bit more.”
But her role isn’t just about knowing what to say. It’s about knowing how to say it—and how to interact with people who are often under great stress. Housing resource associates also provide one-on-one coaching to clients identified as needing a bit more help in their housing situations.
“I’ve been in similar situations that many people come in facing, which makes it easier for me to understand and be more empathetic. Especially when you have people who, to them, are facing the biggest crisis ever,” said Flores. “As soon as someone comes to my window, I’m ready with a, ‘Hey, how’s your day going’ or whatever. That changes the mood in a lot of people and de-escalates it. Knowing that the information I share can help someone, and have them leave a little bit happier, it’s the best and most rewarding feeling ever.”
Getting up to speed has involved a combination of onboarding and shadowing of colleagues, accelerated by Flores’s willingness to receive constructive criticism and to ask questions. She’s also adept at being thrown into situations and “just getting it,” she noted.
“If you’re not willing to learn, you’re not going to succeed in anything,” said Flores, who is relishing her new set schedule of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday—which frees up weekends and evenings to share with family. “I think people would be surprised by the effort my team makes behind the scenes, in making sure that everybody gets the services they need.”
In striving to get better at her job—so she can give better information to members of the community—Flores is all ears.
“I’ve learned from listening to my associates, such as when we are back here on the phones. I’ll hear how they respond to questions. Everybody has their own way and style. I pick up bits and pieces, here and there, and just make it my own,” said Flores, who in her free time enjoys wire wrapping crystals to make bracelets, especially with her 11-year-old daughter. “That would be a fun fact about me. I like holistic crystals, quartz and jade, stuff like that.”
Flores has been receiving something unexpected—and often—from her older daughter, who is 18.
“I get kudos from her every day,” said Flores, who aspires to take Way Finders’ First-time Homebuyer Workshop in the future. “She’s like, ‘Yay, Mom! I’m glad you are doing something that you really want to do. That you are helping people.’”
A heartfelt kudos to you, Ingrid Flores, for all that you do on the frontlines on behalf of Way Finders!