Walking into Tata’s home you are immediately hit with a feeling of love, kindness and warmth.
Yes, the house is beautifully aesthetic with family photos freckled throughout the walls and the delicious smell of homemade meals wafting through the air, but it is the people who live inside the house that make it truly radiate— especially Tata.
“I love people. I love my family. I love my clients,” Tata shares through a smile.
Anyone who knows Tata knows her passion for people is rooted in her story. 19 years ago she moved to the United States from Africa with her family.
“My favorite part about Colorado is how it is sunny all the time,” Tata says. “And, family is super important to me because I love people!”
As someone who finds genuine joy in caring for others, it was only natural for Tata to enroll in community college after moving to the mountain state. She was able to pair her passion for helping others with real world experiences and take her skills to the next level. Through college she was able to land a career with a group home agency helping people in the intellectual and developmental disability community.
“I had a gift immediately,” Tata remembers.
Tata’s journey for caring for the IDD community eventually collided with Laradon in 2011. She began by stepping in to provide respite for Laradon Host Home Providers and eventually became a host home provider herself.
Laradon’s Adult Host Home program provides individualized living situations to people who can benefit from living in the private home of a family or individual. Individuals enjoy living in a family setting, engaging in community activities and sharing household responsibilities. Host Home Providers, like Tata, create a caring support system and assist the individual with personal care, meals, finances, medical appointments and community connections.
To date, Tata has had 4 different individuals live with her as a host home provider, with 3 currently in her home. From cooking to going to church to relaxing in the mountains, Tata has been one of Laradon’s strongest host home providers. And, this is just the beginning of her journey of changing lives at Laradon!
“I just love doing this work,” Tata shares.