Success Story: Rosa

When I came to Tampa a few years ago, I was in love. I moved here to be with my boyfriend, to create a new life for our children and us. A year later, I discovered that he’d been seeing another woman the entire time I’d been here. In his family, it was OK for him to have someone else. I couldn’t live like that.

I tried so hard to find a job, but kept hitting dead ends. I ended up at Metropolitan Ministries with my three children. They provided a place for us to stay and helped with food and clothes while I went to school. When I completed my medical billing certification and got a job, they helped me get an apartment. I had $500 to my name, which I used to buy a car.  It was a lemon. I kept missing work because of it and my employer was ready to fire me. Six months after I bought it, the transmission was leaking and it would’ve been $3000 to fix it.

I was at a bottom like I’d never seen before. I thought I’d done everything the right way, but had never felt so alone. When I lived in New Jersey, I had my family around me. I worked two to three jobs to support us. Now I was struggling just to keep unity in my family – to show the court I could take care of my kids so my ex-boyfriend didn’t get custody. I reached out to the people at Metropolitan Ministries and they put me in touch with Susan Jacobs and Wheels of Success.

When I called her, I was crying my eyes out. I felt so confused – everything in my life was different. I’d never needed help like this before. They gave me a reliable car and my whole life changed. I’m able to take care of my kids. I’ve returned to school to further my education. And two weeks ago, I was promoted. When something little goes wrong, I call Susan and she gives me the number to a mechanic who can help. I’ve built my life from the ground up and I couldn’t have done it without Wheels of Success.