Gabriella Brandon
Participant’s Name: Gabriella Brandon
Success: Employment – Transportation Specialist at SSTTP
TANF Site: Sacramento
Briefly tell us about your family background/structure?
My name is Gabriella Marie Brandon. I am a single mother of three. My daughter Zoria is 28, Josiah is 19, and Joseph is 16. Most of my childhood was spent in Stockton, California with frequent visits to my father’s home in San Francisco, California. I also lived in Eureka with my mom and Monterey with my dad. I spent most of my childhood with my grandparents. My grandmother was full blooded Native and my grandfather full blooded Filipino and my father African American.
Tell us about the type of success you achieved while on the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program.
Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program was a huge help to my family and I. The assistance received, the Advocates mannerisms, school clothing assistance, a bus pass for my son, and gas assistance for me. Also, while I was on the program, I made a plan. A plan to overcome my fear of going to school and failing. I had applied for a Family Advocate I position with the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF program. Although I did not get that particular position, I was offered the position as a Transportation Specialist (I wanted out of the position I held at Cache Creek working graveyards…it was killing me), so I took the offer. I was not happy with the pay, and I felt like I was going backwards, but I had weekends off, and worked Monday through Friday. I haven’t had weekends off in years. Being a TANF participant I figured it would balance out and we’d survive as long as I stuck to my plan.
Who played a significant role or motivated you in your success story?
What really brought everything over the top was my assessment with Heather Leaver. The questions she asked me and suggestions she gave helped shed light on my life for me. I felt like I was in a therapy session. She was easy to talk to and she listened. She asked me about barriers and hindrances in my life. When she asked me if I had help to go back to school and would I like to speak with someone, I said sure. It was then for the first time in my life that I can say I made a plan.
What were some of the barriers you experienced along the way to your success?
This year was quite the struggle for me. In January, I resigned from my job as an assistant manager because I did not like the competition in commission sales and the fights daily over customers. I figure I’d find a job within a month and I’d be okay, but I was wrong. I had interview after interview and it took me 5 months and I ended up at Cache Creek. My first week there I hit a dove, my car broke down in 5 o’clock traffic in the fast lane on I-5, and I couldn’t find a ride to work. I was able to ride share for a couple of days (enduring a toxic relationship), and got suspended for two weeks with no pay. My credit score fell from 700 to 438, I was transferred departments, given the graveyard shift, stressed, crying, searching and searching for a way to make my life better.
What were some of your personal strengths you used to obtain success?
My first step was to stick to my guns and get rid of the toxic relationship that hindered me. It held me captive, it angered me, it stressed me, and it hurt me. I walked, I ran, I blocked, and I never looked back. I did not cry, but I started to pray more and harder. I started to smudge and pray daily. Peace and strength continued to come my way and it still is. The toxic person pursued and tried and my “No” got louder and stronger.
What is your future goal/next step in your Family Wellness Plan?
My plan:
-Was to learn my new position then later inquire about an advocate position.
-Inquire about school assistance for Culinary for the next semester in January.
-Sign-up with CIMC for entrepreneur assistance/business plan, etc.
-Open up a safe or deli serving breakfast sandwiches, juice, teas and coffees, and sandwiches and salads for lunch.
While putting this into play, a friend of mine who I helped from time to time in her club in Old Sacramento bought a restaurant in Stockton. She asked if I could help being a back-up manager. I said sure, figuring I would work Friday nights and the weekends. I went with her to meet the owner selling to her, and we did a walkthrough. As we sat and ate she offered me to be the manager! I was so taken aback and I was overjoyed. I laughed and knew then it was my humbleness and prayers accepting that this was my journey and I was going to make the best of it to work to succeed and leave a legacy for my children and grandchildren.
What advice can you give to participants on SSTTP?
To my fellow participants, you have to want better and more for yourself and your children. I made a choice to not follow after what was displayed to me as a child, but to give and do greater for my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. I teach my children to believe, fight, and to look at my life and learn from it. In a dream I shape shifted into a deer and an eagle. The hind feet of the deer was to dash up the mountain to reach the top and the eagle was to soar above my circumstances. My journey has been rough. There has been days when I feel I can’t see my way, but I have managed to stay afloat and search for avenues that can assist me on my journey.
Thank you TANF for helping me along my journey.
Julia Hoaglen
Participant’s Name: Julia Hoaglen
Success: Bachelor’s Degree, Teaching credential, Full time teaching position
TANF Site: Sacramento
Briefly tell us about your family background/structure?
I grew up in Elk Grove, California raised by a single mother. I knew it was important for me to make sure that my children would never have an absent father. When I first met my now husband, he was a single father raising his daughter. I knew from how great he was with his daughter Kailey that he was going to be a great father for our future children. We now have 4 children: Kailey, Joshua, Anthony, and Marissa. We have worked hard to create a safe, loving, and nurturing environment for our children with both mother and father actively participating daily. Something we lacked in our own childhood, but we wanted to break that cycle for our children.
Tell us about the type of success you achieved while on the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program.
With the support of Shingle Springs Tribal TANF I was able to finish my educational goals. My husband was laid off from his job. This happens often because he works in the construction industry. This time his time off was longer than usual and he ran out of unemployment benefits. I was a full time student working towards my Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies. My student teaching was starting in a month and it was full time, and unpaid for 4 months. TANF helped us provide for our family during that stressful time. This allowed me to finish my degree program, as well as my teaching credential program and my husband was able to care for our children. I graduated in May of this year and received my teaching credential in June. In August I was hired on at Twin Rivers Unified School District to teach 1st grade. This was my dream job and it was all made possible by the support of my husband, family, and SSTTP.
Who played a significant role or motivated you in your success story?
My family played a significant role in my success story. I have always believed that your children live by your example. Graduating from college was an example I was determined to set. I wanted to teach my children the value of a good education. My husband has always supported anything I have ever wanted to achieve. I can’t count how many times I had to go study or stay up late to finish my school work and he took care of everything at the house so I could focus on my school work. My sister-in-law, Grandmother, and my Mom have also done everything they can to help me reach my goals. They have always been a phone call away, either to help with the kids, offer advice, or even just to listen and give a pep talk when I was feeling overwhelmed. I could not have done any of this without their love and support.
What were some of the barriers you experienced along the way to your success?
There were many small barriers that I experienced while I was working towards my educational and career goals. Team work struggles, all the testing for my teaching credential, and my school constantly changing my program requirements. The biggest barrier I faced was when my husband, our sole income, was laid off. This created a lot of worry, but thankfully it all worked out.
What were some of your personal strengths you used to obtain success?
My personal strength I use to obtain my success was solely my determination. I have many weaknesses like procrastination, but when I set a goal for myself, I stop at nothing to get it.
What is your future goal/next step in your Family Wellness Plan?
My next goal in my family wellness plan is to now focus on my husband’s career goals. He took time out to help me reach mine and now it is time to focus on helping him set and reach his career goals.
What advice can you give to participants on SSTTP?
My advice to participants on SSTTP is to take advantage of all the resources that TANF provides. Don’t just sit around and end up getting timed out. Take advantage of everything that is offered. Being on this program has made me very humbled and has really opened my eyes to how a program like this, if used to its full potential, can really turn your life around. Without this program, I would be working a minimum wage job, not being able to provide for my family, and with the help of SSTTP I reached my educational and career goals.
Viola Lopez
Participant’s Name: Viola Lopez
Success: Employment – Administrative Assistant
TANF Site: Placer
Briefly tell us about your family background/structure?
I am single parent and mother of two smart beautiful girls. I grew up in the Bay Area.
Tell us about the type of success you achieved while on the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program.
I gained employment with the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF program as an Administrative Assistant, and now I’m also able to attend classes online for a certification program.
Who played a significant role or motivated you in your success story?
I can say myself and family kept me motivated. I have to be a positive influence to my daughters.
What were some of the barriers you experienced along the way to your success?
I recently relocated back to California and everything I had planned fell through and did not go accordingly, and to top that off I lost my vehicle. We had no transportation.
What were some of your personal strengths you used to obtain success?
I would have to say being ambitious and persistent.
What is your future goal/next step in your Family Wellness Plan?
Completing my certification in medical billing.
What advice can you give to participants on SSTTP?
Try not to get discouraged, and stay positive. I got help for my resume from the Education Coordinator Stace, and received positive feedback which I am grateful for, and my caseworker Nakala was also a great help in giving positive encouragement. Utilize the classes they offer at TANF—the outcome can be positive and successful.
Jessica Mace
Participant’s Name: Jessica Mace
Success: Employment – Intake Specialist at SSTTP
TANF Site: Sacramento
Briefly tell us about your family background/structure?
I grew up in Humboldt County, but have lived in Sacramento for about 10 years. I am a single mother to a one year old daughter.
Tell us about the type of success you achieved while on the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program.
I unexpectedly lost my job and had zero income to support my daughter. I came to the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program for assistance until I could find full-time work. I am now employed full time with SSTTP and get to help other Native American families on the program.
Who played a significant role or motivated you in your success story?
My daughter has been my main motivation. I want her to see that hard work always pays off, and although sometimes we need assistance, we are the ones that have to change our own situation.
What were some of the barriers you experienced along the way to your success?
Being a single mother with no family in the area is hard. There were times that I had to miss employment interviews because I didn’t have child care. It got hard to stay positive when I worked so hard to get an interview and then had to miss it.
What were some of your personal strengths you used to obtain success?
Staying motivated when things got tough and using those challenges to work harder and push through.
What is your future goal/next step in your Family Wellness Plan?
My next step is to continue to learn and grow at my current position and work my way up. I would also like to take some college classes and start working toward a degree.
What advice can you give to participants on SSTTP?
Surround yourself with people who support you. Work hard and use the resources that the Springs Tribal TANF Program has to offer.
Lynnel Demontiney
Participant’s Name: Lynnel Demontiney
Success: Full – Time Employment at an Optometrist’s Office
TANF Site: Sacramento
Briefly tell us about your family background/structure? Please explain (for example: single parent or two parent household, number of children, where did you grow up etc.).
Both of my parents are from Montana and are Crow and Cree. My grandma Delia raised me and we grew up very traditional. I was a young mother at the age of 16 and finished high school at 17. I moved to California and put myself through college and got a certificate as an optician back in 2003.
Tell us about the type of success you achieved while on the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program. Please explain.
I gained a full-time job at an optometrist’s office. The program and staff have been a huge support system. The program has helped me tremendously with child care, encouragement, and other needs to become self-sufficient.
Who played a significant role or motivated you in your success story? Please explain.
Every person I have ever come across including young, new, and previous friends, both positive and negative. But most of all, my three amazing children. They motivate me every single day. My 15 year old is not shy with words so he expresses his gratitude during the good times, and his worries through the hard time. He is the voice for everything. They are my reasons for everything. We (Cree) people believe our kids are only loaned to us, so keep them safe and protect them.
What were some of the barriers you experienced along the way to your success? Please explain.
An abusive relationship, alcohol, and self-pity were my major barriers. Counseling, AA, and strong case management support has helped me overcome.
What were some of your personal strengths you used to obtain success? Please explain.
Some of the personal strengths I used to obtain my success were acknowledgement, awareness, acceptance, and forgiveness.
What is your future goal/next step in your Family Wellness Plan?
My next step in my Family Wellness Plan is to go to college part time and become a licensed social worker or to get my degree in psychology and help women, men, and children of our background and cases.
What advice can you give to participants on SSTTP?
You can do anything you want to do but you have to want to do it. Anything is attainable.
Eddie Navarro
Participant’s Name: Eddie Navarro
Success: High School Diploma/Full-Time Employment at SNAHC
TANF Site: Sacramento
Briefly tell us about your family background/structure? Please explain (for example: single parent or two parent household, number of children, where did you grow up etc.).
I was raised in a single – parent household and my parents divorced when I was six years old. After that, I stayed close and spent a lot of time with my grandparents. I have six siblings, which consist of four sisters and two brothers. I grew up in South Sacramento.
Tell us about the type of success you achieved while on the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program. Please explain.
The success I achieved while on SSTTP was completing the adult education program and receiving my high school diploma. I have also been hired full-time at Sacramento Native American Health Clinic.
Who played a significant role or motivated you in your success story? Please explain.
Being a single father really motivated me to further my education, complete the program, get my diploma, and get a good job.
What were some of the barriers you experienced along the way to your success? Please explain.
Some of the barriers I experienced along the way were being a single father. Things got very difficult, but I managed to care and provide for my children.
What were some of your personal strengths you used to obtain success? Please explain.
Some of the personal strengths I used to obtain my success was the culture and being on a spiritual path kept me moving forward in a positive way. My future goals are to be a good parent and a role model to my kids and in the community.
What is your future goal/next step in your Family Wellness Plan?
My future goal/next step in my Family Wellness Plan is to move up in my current job.
What advice can you give to participants on SSTTP?
Take advantage of all the classes and resources that the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program has to offer to us.
Sarah St. Arnaud
Participant’s Name: Sarah St. Arnaud
Success: Bachelor of Science Degree and Full – Time Employment
TANF Site: Sacramento
Briefly tell us about your family background/structure? Please explain (for example: single parent or two parent household, number of children, where did you grow up etc.).
We live in a two – parent household consisting of my husband and myself. We have two children, Aiydan who is four and Averie who is five months. Averie was a twin but he passed away last month from SIDS. I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and moved to Sacramento in 1998.
Tell us about the type of success you achieved while on the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program. Please explain.
While on TANF, I was still completing my Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice with a major in forensic psychology. I achieved my degree last July, and last month I got a full – time position with Walmart.
Who played a significant role or motivated you in your success story? Please explain.
My husband was a positive support system in my achievements as he helped me study in my class and made sure I kept at it when applying for jobs. He has been my rock.
What were some of the barriers you experienced along the way to your success? Please explain.
When I first got the job at Walmart, I was still trying to get my degree, so it was challenging to make the time to study and train for my job.
What were some of your personal strengths you used to obtain success? Please explain.
I never gave up when it got tough. Trying to balance a job, school, and my child gave me the strength and confidence to succeed.
What is your future goal/next step in your Family Wellness Plan?
I really hope to continue to move up in my job. I want to continue my schooling for my master’s degree, but I need the time to do so.
What advice can you give to participants on SSTTP?
If you want to move forward in live, never give up even when it seems easy to do so.
Samantha Treadway
Participant’s Name: Samantha Treadway
Success: High School Diploma
TANF Site: Sacramento
Briefly tell us about your family background/structure? Please explain (for example: single parent or two parent household, number of children, where did you grow up etc.).
I am Native American (California Valley Miwok) and I grew up in South Sacramento. I had both of my parents until I was 17, when they separated. Things got hard and I rebelled and gave up on everything, but my mother never gave up on me. She has been my backbone no matter what.
Tell us about the type of success you achieved while on the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program. Please explain.
The type of success I achieved while on SSTTP was receiving my High School Diploma from Twin Rivers Adult School.
Who played a significant role or motivated you in your success story? Please explain.
My mother, Rich, and Stace played a huge role in my success. They never let me give up, even when I wanted to.
What were some of the barriers you experienced along the way to your success? Please explain.
I never thought I would succeed in anything until Rich helped me push through. Even though he isn’t a counselor, he still always listened to anything I had to say and always gave his best advice.
What were some of your personal strengths you used to obtain success? Please explain.
Being a mother and knowing I have a daughter looks up to me and depends on me. She made me stronger to push through every day for her.
What is your future goal/next step in your Family Wellness Plan?
My next step in my Family Wellness Plan is to finish up school at NCE and get a great paying job being a phlebotomist.
What advice can you give to participants on SSTTP?
My advice to other participants on SSTTP is to stay strong no matter what life throws at you. Just know at TANF, you are not alone.
Nicole Trujillo
Participant’s Name: Nicole Trujillo
Success: Full-Time Employment at the State of California Parks and Recreation
TANF Site: Sacramento
Briefly tell us about your family background/structure? Please explain (for example: single parent or two parent household, number of children, where did you grow up etc.).
I am a single parent from Sacramento and I have four children.
Tell us about the type of success you achieved while on the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program. Please explain.
I had not worked in four or five years before getting on SSTTP. After that, I was able to get help with childcare and I was able to apply for jobs. I received a job after two months of being a participant on the program.
Who played a significant role or motivated you in your success story? Please explain.
My kids played a huge part as well as my mom helping me. Gwendolyn was also a great help and she worked with me.
What were some of the barriers you experienced along the way to your success? Please explain.
The major barrier I experienced along the way to success was childcare. I was not able to afford it and still be able to work full-time.
What were some of your personal strengths you used to obtain success? Please explain.
Some of the personal strengths I used to obtain success was utilizing the job skills I had before and accepting the fact that I would have to start from the bottom.
What is your future goal/next step in your Family Wellness Plan?
My next step in my Family Wellness Plan is to continue to work until I qualify for a new position.
What advice can you give to participants on SSTTP?
The advice that I would give to other participants on the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program is that hard work pays off and you have to start somewhere. Have faith and trust in the process.
