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About Us
Our Mission
To equip caregivers with the essential tools and support they need to cultivate personal well-being. By nurturing our caregivers, we ensure they can deliver compassionate and effective care to those they serve, promoting resilience and preventing burnout in the social service field.
Our Vision
To create a social service landscape where every caregiver is empowered to heal and thrive personally, enabling them to deliver optimal care and support to their communities without compromise.
Core Values
Core Objectives
To prioritize the mental and emotional health of caregivers, thereby enhancing their capacity to
provide impactful care to their clients.
1. Empowerment: Empowering caregivers to heal and grow personally, fostering resilience
and self-efficacy.
2. Self-Care: Promoting the importance of self-care and well-being for caregivers to
sustainably support others.
3. Compassion: Demonstrating empathy and understanding towards caregivers and those
they serve.
4. Integrity: Upholding honesty, transparency, and ethical practices in all interactions and
operations.
5. Collaboration: Encouraging teamwork, mutual respect, and collaboration among
caregivers and stakeholders.
6. Continuous Learning: Committing to ongoing education, growth, and adaptation to best
practices in trauma healing and caregiving.
7. Impact: Striving for meaningful and positive impact in the lives of caregivers and the
communities they serve.
These core values reflect RUTH's commitment to enhancing the well-being of caregivers and
optimizing their ability to provide compassionate care in the social service field.
About the CEO
Michelle Clay is the Founder and CEO of Reaching Underneath The Hurt (RUTH), a nonprofit organization created from both professional experience and personal conviction.
With over 30 years of dedicated service in the social services field, Michelle has worked tirelessly as a Domestic Violence Advocate and Director, Drug and Alcohol Counselor, Social Service Designee, and Activity Director in Nursing Home settings. Her career has been rooted in one unwavering mission: to help people heal — emotionally, spiritually, and practically.
In March 2024, Michelle made the difficult but necessary decision to retire from formal employment after recognizing the heavy toll of long-term caregiving. The signs of burnout were undeniable. Like so many caregivers, she found herself overwhelmed by increasing demands — endless documentation, service hour requirements, and system pressures — while the genuine heart to serve began to erode under the weight of exhaustion and emotional depletion.
Although RUTH had already been formed years earlier with an initial focus on supporting victims and individuals struggling with addiction within the church, the final seasons of Michelle’s career brought a powerful revelation:
There was little to no support for the caregivers themselves.
She witnessed compassionate professionals — people who once entered the field with a sincere desire to serve — becoming drained, discouraged, and disconnected. Care began to feel more like a transaction than a calling. The question that stirred in her spirit became the foundation of a movement:
“Who Cares for the Caregiver?”
RUTH was reborn with a broader mission — to restore, strengthen, and support those who give so much of themselves to others. Through education, wellness initiatives, advocacy, and faith-centered encouragement, Michelle now leads RUTH in creating safe spaces where caregivers are seen, valued, and equipped to continue their work without losing themselves in the process.
Her life’s work is not simply a career — it is a calling. And through RUTH, Michelle Clay continues to answer that call by reaching underneath the hurt… for those who are usually too busy caring for everyone else to be cared for themselves.
Transforming pain into purpose, one heart at a time.