Tarshae Brown enrolled in KRA’s Work Participation, Placement, and Support Services Program, funded by the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, in April 2013. A 21 year-old, homeless, high-school dropout—as a result of her first pregnancy—she, not surprisingly, had an “attitude” problem, really a defense mechanism fueled by a crippling sense of hopelessness.
Ernestine Chambers, Operations Manager, and Johnetta Pierce and Angela Smith, Lead Career Agents, understood totally how customers’ seemingly hopeless situations lead to disinterest and that “nobody really cares” attitude. As a team, they provided Tarshae with the coaching, guidance, and “tough love” she needed to break through her wall of despair.
Over time, they helped Tarshae realize to achieve a lifestyle of self-respect and self-reliance, she had to adjust her attitude in order to change her behavior. As a result, by July 2014, Tarshae had completed the 10 classes to graduate high school; was working at McDonalds when she found a better-paying, more stable, fulltime job; and had secured permanent housing for her family.
Graduate Tarshae Brown!
At a recent Networking Night event, Tarshae shared how she had re-gained the hope she had lost, and was now happy to be on the road to total self-sufficiency.
