Workforce Challenge 

Taisha Ellis Brown never imagined she’d lose her job and become homeless. Until May 2019, Taisha consistently maintained employment and managed to care for her special needs son and family. However, her demanding family responsibilities caused scheduling conflicts with her job and she was eventually terminated. This caused a ripple effect that led her to move her family into transitional housing. Eager to make this a temporary living situation, Taisha needed a job ASAP.        

Workforce Solutions 

In July she visited the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development’s Workforce Reception Center (WRC) and met with workforce development staff to talk about her next steps toward employment. The WRC connects Baltimore City residents, who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits, with occupational training,  job-search resources and programs designed to get them ready for employment. Taisha’s housing program provided meals, a case manager and other personal business services, allowing the WRC staff to focus on improving her interviewing and soft skills. After attending three weeks of classes, Taisha was work-ready with a polished resume and ready for the next step.   

Outcomes & Benefits 

Taisha used the job search skills she learned at the WRC and secured a full-time job as a  Culinary Assistant at Stone’s Throw Hash, a gluten-free, paleo-free locally sourced food truck specializing in hearty sweet potato hashes. Happily employed at a company that is open to her creative culinary ideas, she is also pursuing her career goals by taking online courses at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. Taisha’s dream job is to eventually own a farm-to-table restaurant and operate her own food truck.

Admittedly, Taisha was hesitant about visiting the Workforce Reception Center, “I didn’t think I was going to get anything out of this program,” she said. “That is not true. If you do what they ask you to do, it works!”