At Anchor House, one of our goals is to create pathways for interns to transition into staff members. Many of our team, including our Executive Director, Kim McNear, began their journeys here as interns. By developing these career pathways, it is one way to ensure that Anchor House continues to have dedicated, skilled team members who deeply understand and embrace our mission.
Meet Taylor Carmona, our latest intern to become a staff member at Anchor House. Taylor recently joined as a Life Skills Counselor at our Anchorage Transitional Living Program, the same program where she completed her internship.
Taylor, an MSW student at Rutgers School of Social Work, began her journey at Anchor House in September 2024. Her liaison at Rutgers connected her to us for an internship placement. Although she had not previously considered working in a residential setting, she was eager to deepen her understanding of the child welfare system. At Anchorage, where many residents have experienced child welfare involvement, Taylor quickly discovered the impact she could make.
Her favorite part of interning (and now working) at Anchor House has been building relationships with youth and staff. “I love establishing rapport with staff and residents,” explained Taylor. “There has been a lot of opportunities to participate,” she added, noting how she has learned so much about the Case Manager and Counselor roles, including how to conduct intakes and discharges that will prepare her for a future in social work.
One of her most meaningful moments at Anchor House came in the kitchen, when a resident who was cooking offered her a bowl of food, saying, “I want you to try it.” For Taylor, this small gesture reflected the trust and connection she had built with the residents at Anchorage.
Taylor also benefited from weekly reviews with June Albanowski, Director of Youth Services, who oversees the MSW interns (and who also began as an intern at Anchor House). She worked alongside June and Mary Smith, a Case Manager in our Anchor Line Program, to host an informative and fun Women’s History Month event earlier this year. Pictured left to right are June, Taylor and Mary.
When asked what she has learned so far, Taylor said, “Our job is so important to help guide youth and give them every opportunity to develop the skills necessary to be independent.” She emphasized the importance of practicing Trauma-Informed Care with youth as most have experienced multiple traumas in their young lives. Taylor offered this advice to future interns: “Build a connection with residents. Make sure to build rapport with them. They will respect you more. Just have conversations with them. Learn as much as you can during your time here.”
Because of her internship, Taylor has already built strong relationships and mutual respect with Anchorage residents—an incredible foundation as she transitions into her staff role.
She would love more people to know about the variety of programs Anchor House offers, ones that give young adults hope and support and assistance with education, jobs, scholarships, and connections to external resources.
A fun fact: Taylor has a cat named Butter that she adores!
Taylor will complete her MSW in May 2026. She wanted to thank June, Kim, and Mereides Delgado, our Director of Young Adult Services, who oversees Anchorage, for their support and guidance.
Learn more about our internships.
Learn more about careers at Anchor House.
