Keeping the Community Running: Meet the Team Supporting the Sisters of Christian Charity

Across the country, our people bring their skills, compassion, and problem-solving mindset to workplaces that range from healthcare facilities to universities. In Mendham, New Jersey, that work takes place at the Sisters of Christian Charity, a residential community that is home to Sisters, vowed religious women, in retirement and active service, many of whom have dedicated their lives to education, healthcare, and community support.

Here, Sodexo’s facilities team manages everything that keeps daily life running smoothly from maintenance and environmental services to housekeeping and operational support. Their work ensures residents have safe, comfortable, and welcoming spaces to call home.

What makes this site special isn’t just what the team does, it’s how they do it. Through daily connection, shared celebrations, and a culture of appreciation, this team has built more than a workplace. They’ve built a community rooted in care, teamwork, and pride in serving others.

Continue reading to meet the team members who help bring this environment to life every day. Ready to start your own journey? Visit us.sodexo.com/careers to explore opportunities.

Jim Irving – Facilities and Engineering Manager 

Jim’s path to facilities leadership didn’t start with a tool belt, it started in a kitchen.

Before he held the title Facilities and Engineering Manager at the Sisters of Christian Charity, Jim was working as a cook at a Sodexo-supported site. Food service was familiar territory: his father served as a Sodexo general manager, and Jim had spent years around the business, learning what it looked like to show up, work hard, and take pride in serving others.

One holiday changed everything. When the dishwasher went down, Jim took a chance, opened it up, and fixed it. The next day, a district manager told him that if he could repair equipment under pressure, he should take his talents beyond the kitchen. Within weeks, Jim was brought to the Sisters of Christian Charity site and began in maintenance.

That momentum reflects how Jim approaches work with confidence, curiosity, and a willingness to try.

“If it’s already broken, you’re not going to break it anymore.”

That mindset continues to shape his leadership today. He credits strong mentors for shaping his approach and says the support of his current manager, Alison Litzky, helps him lead with confidence. He enjoys the variety of his role, from everyday repairs to large-scale equipment projects, and values that no two days are the same.

What stands out most is the connection with the Sisters. Working alongside housekeeping and laundry teams, Jim and his team interact with them daily, building meaningful relationships.

“We’re not just assisting them. We’re their friends… we’re their family.”

For Jim, the work is about making the Sisters’ mission possible, ensuring they have safe, comfortable spaces so they can continue serving others. His advice to those starting out in facilities or with Sodexo reflects his own journey: be patient, say yes to opportunity, and don’t put limits on what you can grow into.

Dunia Vasquez – Housekeeping

For more than 27 years, Dunia has been a steady, joyful presence at the Sisters of Christian Charity, and she’s proud to call her work in housekeeping part of her life’s journey.

She began working at the site years ago while raising her three young boys. At the time, she spoke very little English, but the Sisters supported her in ways she still remembers vividly. Two of the Sisters helped teach her English, and others even helped care for her young son while she worked.

“The Sisters helped me. They were my teachers and were very kind to us.”

Today, Dunia is known for the positivity she brings to every shift. She greets the Sisters warmly each morning and makes a point to show up with a smile, no matter what is happening outside of work. She especially enjoys Fridays, when she cleans the chapel, a task that combines her work with a quiet moment to pray and reflect.

Her care shows in the small details. Dunia often makes decorative flowers out of toilet paper in restrooms, a thoughtful touch that the Sisters notice and love. For her, it’s about making the space feel special and communicating openly, so the Sisters feel heard and cared for.

“I love what I do, and I am so proud of my work.”

She speaks just as warmly about her team and leaders, describing them as kind, supportive, and compassionate. From celebrating birthdays and holidays to spinning the team’s appreciation wheel, Dunia says the workplace feels like an extension of family. After nearly three decades, she has grown alongside the community, and they have grown with her.

Patryk Stankiewicz – Maintenance 

As Patryk approaches his one-year anniversary with Sodexo, he says the biggest surprise hasn’t been the work, it’s been the people.

He joined the site in Mendham as a Maintenance Technician after finding the role online. Before Sodexo, he worked maintenance at a golf course, handling everything from grounds upkeep to plumbing and sprinkler system projects. At the Sisters, his work shifted from outdoor systems to day-to-day needs of a living community, and he quickly found a workplace culture unlike anything he’d experienced before.

“I’ve never worked in a facility where everyone on the team is so friendly and outgoing. From day one, I felt great and immediately felt at home.”

Each morning starts with collecting trash throughout the building, followed by a check-in with his manager, Jim. From there, Patryk and the team split a detailed task list that may include hanging pictures, moving furniture, repairing sinks, painting, spackling walls, and restocking supplies like toiletries and paper towels. The variety keeps the job moving, and he likes that you never know what the day will bring.

One of his favorite parts of the day is the team’s morning meetings. These meetings help everyone get aligned and set the tone for the day. “There’s always a lot of laughs in the morning,” he shares, adding that it’s the kind of energy that makes work feel enjoyable and gets the team ready to take on the day.

Patryk credits the support he receives from both leadership and coworkers as a major reason he enjoys coming to work. He appreciates working in a place where people listen, encourage one another, and celebrate the team’s efforts together.

“I’ve worked many jobs in my lifetime, and this is by far the best experience I’ve ever had with a company and team.”

Payton Hair – Facility Supervisor

As Facility Supervisor, Payton Hair leads the housekeeping team and in just a year, she’s found more than a job; she’s found a supportive community.

Payton joined Sodexo in December 2024, bringing previous experience in retail leadership and banking. She was drawn to this role because it allowed her to step into a true supervisory position, creating schedules, assigning tasks, and working closely with her team in a hands-on way.

“At Sodexo, you can tell you actually matter.”

Each day begins with a morning huddle, where the team reviews priorities, asks questions, and often shares stories from their lives. For Payton, that time together sets the tone. She says it helps everyone feel connected and ready for the day, whether they’re preparing rooms, supporting moves, or coordinating cleaning across the facility.

What stands out most to her is the culture of care, not only among teammates, but with the Sisters themselves. Shortly after she started, Payton experienced a family loss and says the support she received from both her team and the Sisters showed her how personal the environment truly is.

She also loves how the team celebrates together. One of her favorite memories was combining Hispanic Heritage Month and Polish American Month into a shared celebration, where employees brought family recipes, decorations, and traditions. “Everyone was laughing, taking pictures, and just enjoying being together,” she says.

Payton is motivated each day by the relationships she’s built with the Sisters, who she describes as warm, engaging, and full of stories. To her, work feels less like a job and more like being part of a community.

To those just starting out in their careers, Payton shares to “build confidence, stay open to learning, and don’t be afraid to branch out because you never know what skills or passions you might discover.”

Care in Action

Different roles. Different backgrounds. One shared purpose.

At the Sisters of Christian Charity, these team members show how meaningful work doesn’t always happen in the spotlight, but the impact is felt everywhere. Through maintenance, housekeeping, and daily support, they create an environment where residents feel safe, valued, and at home.

Their stories reflect the kind of workplace where people truly belong, are encouraged to act with confidence and initiative, and can thrive both personally and professionally. It’s a culture built on trust, teamwork, and the belief that every role has value.

This is what working at Sodexo looks like: real opportunities, supportive leadership, and the chance to make a difference every single day.

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