When One Door Closes, Another Opens: Tavales’ Story
Many people understand the challenges of unstable employment, the devastation of identity theft, and the navigation of parenthood when a child has a disability. Tavales understands firsthand that when these things occur one after the other, they can be barriers between his family and housing – that essential platform needed to springboard his family to success. Even for someone like Tavales, who cherishes his independence, he acknowledges that a lot of relief came from his support systems, allowing him to focus on his number one priority – his kids.
For four years, Tavales lived in a rental property while working at The Cheesecake Factory as a Shift Lead. However, like many workers during the pandemic, he went from consistently working overtime to struggling to get full-time hours. While the COVID relief fund provided him with some
support to help pay his bills, this was the start of many dominoes that led to him losing housing and pursuing an unsafe shelter situation.
Eventually, Tavales received a call from the YWCA about his admittance to the Predolin Rapid Rehousing program, which is funded by United Way and Henry J. Predolin Foundation and partners with The Road Home Dane County, YWCA Madison, and The Salvation Army. At this point, Tavales had his hands full as a parent, as it had been about a year since he had learned about his young son’s autism diagnosis. “I’ve learned that if you don’t explain or let people know what’s going on, nobody can help you,” he said. “It was a very low point in my life because, as a man, you know, you want to provide for your kids.” He said the call could not have come at a better time. After he was admitted into the program, he was able to connect with Josh, his Housing Advocate at The Road Home.
Tavales soon saw that he was working with someone he could relate to. “It was like having a weight lifted off me,” he said, remarking on the times Josh helped arrange appointments and connect Tavales with resources. “He didn’t shoo me away. He listened to what I said.” He was comforted by the fact that he could discuss both logistical needs and personal challenges with Josh, and feel seen for his whole self.
But as resource-rich as Tavales’s life is now, he mainly credits his relationships – with his family, friends, and case managers – for instilling in him the ability to chase after his goals, shifting his goals from survival to managing a thriving family. The combination of legal and familial support as well as case management from The Road Home and the YWCA has helped lead him to a place of peace and independence. “Life is a huge tree,” he says, referring to the connections he has made, “and there are branches that you haven’t even touched yet, you haven’t even climbed, and it’s one huge tree that connects everyone.”
Tavales’ unique experience of homelessness has made him a more motivated person and empathetic to others experiencing homelessness. “When people don’t understand something, they’re more likely to be ignorant of it,” he says of homelessness. Every time he encounters someone experiencing homelessness now, he tries to help them out. “And even when I don’t
have money, I try to help them, because that was me,” Tavales acknowledged. “It made me realize that life is more important than any commodity of money that you’ve been able to accumulate.”
Today, the one thing that remains certain to Tavales is to cherish his family. While he works long hours, he claims it is worth it for his kids. “I’ve gotten to this point where I can have my family situated and comfortable, and going through this right here, it has been a little disarray, but I have to remain focused.” He reminds his kids – his eight-year-old daughter being the oldest – that their well-being is his number one priority. And in the same way he models this confidence for his kids, this mindset was once modeled for him. “My grandmother told me, tough times don’t last. Tough people do. Her favorite scripture was, ‘Let not your heart be troubled.’ And that’s something that’s within me. There’s always a key to figuring it out.” Processing the temporary state of each situation is something that Tavales has been able to talk through with Josh, and has helped Tavales stay hopeful, no matter the circumstance.
Tavales expressed his gratitude for his relationship with The Road Home. Even when he has hard days, he knows that there is always someone there for him when he needs it. “This program has not only been a blessing in my life, but it has given me the tools to really be a humble person, and help me to understand that you’re not always able to figure it out by yourself,” he says. “There’s always a helping hand.”