Teja’s Story

At home in central Brooklyn is the place where Teja (44 years old), and her children Isa (16) and Jayden (12) are grateful to be. When Teja first came to The Partnership, on the advice of a woman she met while in housing court, she was feeling crushed under the stress of facing an eviction and the related worry about her children losing their home and ending up in a shelter. She was terrified that Isa, who was aware of the situation and had started talking about leaving school to get a job, would end up dropping her studies and the basketball games she loved so much, losing out on the college path she had been working hard to achieve, and that Jayden’s health and security would be irreparably damaged in the turmoil of experiencing homelessness.

Teja could hardly believe the family’s future was looking so bleak when just a year earlier they had felt so secure; although their household income left little for extras, Teja’s hospital administrative role combined with her partner’s income had given them enough to cover the rent and household expenses as well as juggle their schedules to take their son, who is living with a disability, to medical appointments and pay for medications not fully covered by insurance.

The first hint of difficulty crept in with the death of Teja’s grandmother who had raised her; the family fell behind on bills as Teja chipped in with other family members to cover the funeral costs. While they were still recovering from that setback, her partner left the home and relationship suddenly, leaving Teja and the children to fend for themselves. The emotional trauma was exacerbated by the immediate loss of household income, both the loss of her partner’s income and a portion of Teja’s income when she needed to reduce her schedule to manage her son’s medical needs. Teja fell further behind on bills as she prioritized paying for her son’s medication and when the next rent day cycled around and Teja discovered that her partner had been hiding that he had not been making all the rent payments over the previous year, the last fragment of her sense of security unraveled. As the letters threatening court and eviction started to arrive, the very sight of her mailbox began to make her panic.  

By the time Teja first spoke to a member of the housing team at The Partnership, she had lost hope and was in survival mode. Despite her efforts to keep her family safe, the government assistance for which she had applied was still pending and did not look like it would come through in time to stop the eviction, and she was worried that she would lose her job if she went into shelter and could not juggle her son’s schedule and commute with her own. The team immediately got to work, giving Teja support to navigate the government benefits system to secure the arrears assistance for which the family qualified and to simultaneously work with the landlord and court system to stop the eviction. Additionally, with our counseling support and a $5,260 arrears grant to bring her rent to balance, she was able to secure her home and focus on rebuilding her family’s security. Her children finished the school year and were able to keep their summer sports and study plans with friends. Jayden is now doing well in his final year of middle school and Teja has more family support to escort him to medical appointments. Isa is working toward a college scholarship, all thoughts of leaving school a distant memory. Teja has stabilized her work schedule and after dinner each evening, she enjoys spending time researching options for her children’s ongoing education paths and futures. Teja has continued with counseling to process the trauma she lived through this last year and feels that for the first time she has the space and safety to grieve her relationship breakup and the loss of her grandmother.

“Over two decades ago, I was a newcomer to NYC and I am grateful that I have always had a roof over my head and somewhere to call home in this city. However, I am conscious that so many of us New Yorkers are just one unfortunate event beyond our control from housing insecurity. It could be illness, loss of employment, unforeseen financial burdens, or changes in domestic and family circumstances. My own mother was widowed when I was a two-year-old child and she raised my brother and me in a single parent household during some very troubled times where I grew up. Although the specter of financial insecurity always loomed in the background, and while we did not have much as kids, my mother worked hard to ensure we had the essentials in life, a solid education, and a loving and safe home. I have had friends and family to support me through difficult times, but I am aware that not everyone in this city is so fortunate and some may have nobody to rely upon in an emergency. I am a firm believer that timely intervention to prevent homelessness is crucial to providing a stable family life and safeguarding the future for children. I understand that even a modest financial contribution to The Partnership can make a meaningful difference to someone who is struggling to hold on to dependable accommodation. And, as the saying goes, prevention is always better than cure.”