You Gave Shelby Her Future Back

Shelby and her family started their day with a continental breakfast in the lobby — just like they always did.

After breakfast, she’d load the kids up in the minivan and take them to school. No one in the school drop-off line knew Shelby and her family were living in a hotel room . . . or that the hours in a school day were precious to Shelby, because they meant she could squeeze in a couple house  cleanings to make some money.

Two months of surviving like this wasn’t anything this single mother dreamed of — for herself, or for her children.

“I got into some financial difficulties after my partner and I split. I felt alone. It was just me and my kids,” she says. She could see the way homelessness was hurting their self-esteem and learning. “I didn’t like never being able to do anything for them,” says Shelby.

She didn’t know how to escape poverty. But you provided a way out — leading to a life Shelby never thought possible for a single mother.

A Confident Future

Through her children’s school, Shelby got connected with Pathways to Hope — Metro’s homeless prevention program for families. Pathways to Hope opens  the door to personalized services specific to a household’s unique crisis. You make clear exit plans like this possible.

“Pathways to Hope is helping families like mine and putting smiles on kids’ faces,” says Shelby. “Metro put me in front of people where I could get interviewed and helped me with job referrals. I started working in elderly care. I was able to get a nice townhouse. They helped me in many different ways.”

Even the small things — school supplies, after-school programs, toys for her children, and even brake pad replacement for her car — were a huge blessing to Shelby’s family. The small acts of service you make possible add up to a life of stability and dignity. “It helps you gain self-sufficiency and
independence,” says Shelby. “It’s been a blessing. I’m just thankful Metro was there for me and my kids in a time of need, and to put a smile on their faces.

Because without them having a smile, I wouldn’t have a smile.” Because of you, Metro isn’t just a food pantry or an emergency shelter. It’s a place where Tampa Bay families like Shelby’s can find their future.

“I’m just thankful Metro was there for me and my kids.”