Donneka’s story
Donneka is a survivor.
When her hours were cut last year during the holidays, she supplemented her dwindling income by picking a job at a local car wash. But that still wasn’t enough, so she applied for day labor, “doing anything and everything I could” to support herself and her four children. She was working seven days a week.
Despite accepting partial rent payments in the past, her landlord called one night and asked for all of his money. When Donneka said she didn’t have it because she needed to pay her light bill, he sent her an eviction notice.
After attending our Culinary Arts Program Donneka got a full-time job
After two agonizing weeks of being homeless, sleeping in her two-door sedan with her four children, she sought help at Metropolitan Ministries. Once here, Donneka attended our culinary arts school and now has a job as a cook at the University of Tampa, where she earns $14 an hour.
Working full-time, again, coupled with the child support she has now started to receive, means she can soon move into a place of her own.
“Metropolitan Ministries helped me more in my life than anybody,” she says.
“They gave me the confidence to be a good mom, showed me the sky’s the limit, and taught me things like budgeting skills that nobody had shown me.”
Donneka’s story demonstrates what’s possible with your support. She needed help. Guidance. Encouragement. And found all those things and more when she decided to ask for help.
Because of your generosity, you are a hero to Donneka. And to us. You can help make more stories like this possible.