When Miguel’s wife — and mother of his three young children — left suddenly with their life savings, he didn’t know where to turn. “We had been together for 17 years with no problems,” Miguel said. “I thought we were getting closer to God. She was my leaning post and I was hers. I never thought I would lose her. Then I lost everything.” He quickly discovered why: crystal meth. His wife had developed a drug addiction that she was able to hide but couldn’t break. “They said it only takes one time,” said Miguel. In one day Miguel went from a happy husband and doting father of three beautiful children ages ten, eight and three to a single dad with nowhere to turn. “We went to [other shelters] but they said, ‘We can’t help you,’” said Miguel. He and his wife had started a business a few years earlier — a business that had quickly turned into a six-figure income for the family. They took family vacations together. The children wore new clothes every school year. They ate good food at every meal. In a day, it was all gone. His wife — the business manager of their young company — walked away with every penny they had. But he knew that he couldn’t give up. His children were depending on him. “I’d do anything for these kids. Before we came to Metropolitan Ministries we had stomach-hurtin’ hunger,” said Miguel. “I had to stop the kids from eating a whole bowl of soup one night so we would have something to eat the next day.”

Then Miguel heard about Metropolitan Ministries. He brought his children and they had a complete meal for the first time in days. Two months later, he was accepted as a resident in our Uplift U® program. Miguel and his children have been in the program for just over a year. Although they haven’t seen mom during that time, they’re moving on. And feel hopeful for the first time in a long time. The children are doing well in school. Miguel is back in school, too. And working. He helps the other resident children at Uplift U with computer skills. They all call him “Papi.” “In every prayer we pray at night we thank God for this place,” Miguel says. Your gifts ensure that good dads like Miguel don’t slip through the cracks. Uplift U, our personalized residential program, gives people in need a safe place to live as they become self-sufficient again. Thank you for your continued support at Easter time, and throughout the year!

Friends don’t let friends go hungry