Ambassador Spotlight: Meet Tyrone Davis

Ms. Price: Tyrone has overcome significant hurdles and trauma to build a new life in Nicetown-Tioga. He is resilient. He is eager to learn and expand his knowledge, and wants to master his craft in technology. Called To Serve is incredibly proud of Tyrone. His dedication to keep investing in his professional development is commendable. 
Tyrone: As a child, my family and I went through unimaginable hardships and constant instability. I am the youngest of five. My biological mother had an addiction problem. My sister and I spent our youth in foster care. I was six years old and she was eight. My older siblings were already in placement. Because of my anger, I was separated from my sister and shuffled between foster homes in four different counties; Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, and York, PA. At times, I struggle to talk about everything.
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Q. Tyrone, you shared that coming back to Philly was a difficult transition. How did you get started with Called to Serve?
A. The last foster home I was placed in, God blessed me. This foster mom went beyond her professional duty. I grew to love her as a mother and still today, she loves me as her own. I lived with her from the age of twelve through eighteen. She was a strict God-fearing woman and she stood firm on, I was going to be a young man and dress like one. Every Sunday she took me to her church, Greater Zion Baptist Church in Harrisburg, PA. So, when I moved to Philly, and I found out Called To Serve was right next door inside of Zion Baptist Church, it seemed like a sign from God. I asked one of the cleaning ambassadors how could I work with them? They gave me Ms. Price number. I spoke with her several times. She challenged me, inspired me and referred me for training. She told me she would hire me if I invested in myself first and complete Mercy Neighborhood Ministries ‘Path 2 Prosperity (P2P)’, an extensive training program aimed strategically to help me reintegrate back into the community. I was hired March 28,  2025. 
Q What was your initial impression of Ms. Price?
A: Don’t take this the wrong way, but I wasn’t raised here. In Philly, people can be off-putting or sometimes cocky, but Ms. Price was not like that. She has this soft voice that commands a quiet respect, and she has a way of hearing your concerns while making you feel included to get the job done and/or solving problems. I have never heard her raise it. She saw right through my anger, depression and my desperation for a job. She has been in my corner since day one. Not just mine but for all of my coworkers. Ms. Price will pick up the phone to talk with us, help us see how we could have made better decisions and pray with us. She always speaks to you in a way that makes you want to work. Ms. Price does not realize how much of a blessing she is. 

Q: You are a "Cleaning Ambassador," but you also have a high level of technical training. Tell us about your background.
A: I have never been one to sit idle. My foster mother always taught us, ‘an idle mind is the devil’s playground”. There has never been a job that I felt was beneath me to learn how to do. I have worked at an auto auction moving and parking cars, dug graves for cemeteries, became a certified welder and forklift operator. December 13, 2025, I received my OSHA 30 certification and February 14, 2026, I received my certification for Financial Literacy and Economic Empowerment. My goal is to use these certifications to get back into a management role until I achieve my real vocation and that is to work full-time in the technology field. 
I really love technology, and I am good at it. I am certified in CompTia ITF+, and Comp 1 and Comp 2. I am aggressively working to become certified in CompTIA Network+ and Security+.  
Q: How has Called To Serve help you develop professionally?
Working for Called To Serve has been a game changer for me. They have caring partners who support their mission, provide training and share resources. I am a beneficiary of the generosity and training. Since May 2025, I have taken advantage of most of the free trainings and received certifications. My most recent training, I completed the six weeks of intensive OSHA 30 training and received my certification. This training program was fully funded by Councilman Jeffrey Young, reflecting his commitment to community development. Ms. Price networked on my behalf and I achieved a new career milestone. I have a full time evening position with benefits and a $5.00 per hour increase. The trainings also enhanced my soft skills significantly. I have no immediate family here in Philadelphia to love or support me. Every training program or graduation Pastor Mike and Ms. Price surprised me and attended as my family. It meant the world to me. Pastor Mike and Ms. Price have boosted my confidence professionally in so many ways. 
The TCB black handbook that all cleaning ambassadors received from Mayor Parker and the Commerce Department has been very instrumental with my writing skills. Just seeing the words ‘Taking Care of Business’ printed on the front cover of the notebook is powerful. Every time I walk pass my book, the title provokes internal thoughts. “What business have I not taken care of”? I wish I could get another black notebook. This period in my life is the most confident and happiest I have ever been.

Q. Looking back at the toughest times of your life, what words of wisdom would you write in a letter to your younger self?
A: I would tell myself that being young, holding grudges and angry costs too much. I served five years total, and I lost so much during that time. Selling drugs is not the answer. Do not lose your dignity because you are poor. Always work harder than the next man and the man after him. Keep your self-worth, self-love, and self-respect. Do not physically fight other people’s battles at the expense of destroying your own future. Have friends that are like-minded, going to school, learning trades, and growing, not just surviving. Work hard to own your own business. Reach back and help someone. Always pray. 
Becky: Q: What are your primary goals you are hoping to achieve in the near future?
A: I know I can not get back the time I missed out on being absence from my son’s life. More than life itself, I want to be a full time consistent and responsible daddy. I want to be financially stable to provide for him. I also want to excel proficiently in technology.