I Have No Place to Go

I was walking through Metropolitan Ministries’ parking lot on a Tuesday morning last year when I spotted Brenda trying to hide the tears running down her cheeks.

The minute she saw me, she tried to turn away. But I walked up to her anyway and asked what was wrong.

“I have no place to go,” she said, fighting back the tears.

“I’m afraid I may have to sleep in a storage locker tonight.”

Brenda told me she had been working two jobs – in special events at the University of South Florida, and in food service at the Tampa International Airport – when Hurricane Irma struck. Since the airport had been closed the last four days – and her house had flooded from the heavy rains – her funds had dried up.

We knew the airport would reopen in a couple days. But what was Brenda supposed to do in the meantime? Who could step in and give her hope in her darkest hour?

Thanks to the abundant generosity of this community, and good people like you, we have an emergency fund for times such as this. So we put Brenda – and 23 others – up in a motel for five days and gave them gift cards for food until their other resources kicked in.

You’d be surprised at how many people come to us every day as desperate as Brenda was. With money short, and time running out, they come to us as a last resort.

Today, there are many “Brendas” lined up waiting to get into our Outreach Center, hoping someone can rescue them because life has knocked them down.

Our job: to help them get back up. Our promise: this community won’t let them down.

Can you help?