TOPEKA (KSNT) – Our March honoree uses her unique upbringing and nursing background to care for young children and seniors, together, in the same place. Erin Steele was born in Manhattan. She spent a few years in western Kansas, then her large family moved to Wamego when she was in second grade after her dad took the postmaster job.When I say large family, I'm talking about 18 kids, same parents and all single births. "I'm number 12 so kind of in the middle," Steele said. "Life growing up was very interesting. Always somebody to love you and someone to pick on you. Very lucky!" Erin calls her middle school years "selfish and jaded". A "rebellious phase" hit during high school, but things changed after dating her future husband and discovering she was pregnant two weeks before starting college at Kansas State. Using a nurse’s empathy, integrity and compassion when supporting nonprofits "Obviously my plans took a different course," she said. "We decided to let him finish college and I had a baby in march and grew up real fast." Her interest as a teenager had been to work in special education, but having a child and watching her sister have a baby gave her the idea of becoming a nurse. She attended Washburn University to make it happen. "At the time it was Mercy Hospital in Manhattan, now it's Via Christi, but I worked there for several years," Steele said. Erin served others in a variety of roles as an registered nurse over the years including time in home health, hospice and long-term care. "I worked in several facilities and all of them had wonderful things, but just didn't have the core of the quality care that I wanted," she said. "I would come home griping to my husband like probably most people do and he'd say "if you want to do it right, you have to do it yourself." Luckily, she had compiled a notebook of ideas about combining daycare with senior care, which came from her love of children and her passion for the elderly. A facility in a neighboring town went up for sale in July of 2023, and her dream became a reality. Seneca woman cherishes family, supports locals and attracts tourists "I said no that's not what I'm thinking, I'm gonna build this and it's not going to be in Alma," Steele said. "Nonetheless, we came and toured and my husband said, 'If we're going to do it, I think this is it and this is our time." Heritage Home opened the child care in October 2023, and took its first senior resident in January 2024. Currently there are 64 children in the early learning wing and 20 seniors living under its roof. The combined, intergenerational approach works well and everyone benefits. "The kids learn so much from the seniors, whether it's their life experiences, they have so much to teach," she said. "They're building relationships because they have grandma's and grandpa's here that they know love them. You can't have too many people that love a kid. The seniors obviously greatly benefit just from the joy that the kids bring. It gives them a sense of purpose." Erin is so proud of where they are, the care they provide and for the staff they have, many being siblings or in-laws. Happy spreading mental health awareness while raising funds for local services "Alma has embraced us," Steele said. "This community has been phenomenal to us. I'm very proud of what we do. I never leave feeling like someone wasn't taken care of. Obviously, I'm very proud of my family This is a family endeavor so my kids, my husband, my in-laws, all of my family; like our blood, sweat, and tears are literally in this building. And what about our efforts recognizing women who help others? "I watched your stories, I think to see women, or people in general, that are using their life to serve other people," she said. "If that can inspire one person to do the same and have that ripple effect, that's profound." Just go to heritagehomefamily.com to learn more about the benefits of intergenerational living and instruction. If you know a woman we should highlight in this segment, please go to KSNT.com and nominate them there. We feature these honorees during 27 News on the last Tuesday of each month. ...read more read less