Suddenly Out of Work, Donna Finds a Lifeline

Donna had always been a hard worker and held a steady job for her entire adult life. So when the company she worked for shut down in late 2009, she thought finding a new job would be relatively easy.

But there was no work to be found and her savings was quickly drying up. By February 2010, Donna could no longer afford her rent and had to live in a hotel. She felt completely lost – homelessness was never something she thought she would face.

“I didn’t even know where to start looking for help,” she said. “I had never been hungry or homeless until that time in my life.”

Donna kept looking for work as she lived in a hotel but the search always came up dry. It felt like a race to find any kind of income before she ran completely out of money. But the day came when Donna could only afford one more night at the hotel. She counted out the last of her money, paid the front desk and faced the gut-wrenching fact that her next night would be spent on the streets.

Donna spent her last night at the hotel searching — not for jobs, but instead for help. She used the hotel’s computer seeking any kind of assistance she could find. It was then that she discovered the Orlando Union Rescue Mission. The following morning, Donna checked out of the hotel and got her $2 key deposit returned to her. Hoping for a chance to stay at the Mission, she used that $2 -the only money she had left in the world – to pay for a bus fare to come apply.

“I got there at 8:30 that morning and by 5 p.m. that day I was moved in!” Donna remembered. “At first I was terrified but I later came to realize that this place was a life-saver for me.”

Donna was used to working so she was happy to be a part of the work rehabilitation program. It gave her a sense that she was contributing to the overall good of the Mission and it was a way to express the gratitude she felt. “They gave me so much – safety, food, a place to live – and all they ask in return is to help clean and work in the kitchen? It sounded good to me!”

Though Donna felt comfortable in a working environment, she saw realized she lacked something even more important than a good work ethic. She didn’t have the unshakeable hope that can only be found in Jesus Christ. It was at the Mission that Donna learned of the great news of grace and decided to place her trust in Christ.

“I had no clue about what it meant to have a relationship with God,” she said. “But there I learned how to lean on God; how to trust Him in all things.”

About one year into her stay at the Mission, Donna found a job as a vacation sales representative at Bluegreen Resorts.  She continued to live at the Mission while working there to reestablish a financial foundation to stand on. Then, in December 2011, Donna was ready to move out on her own. She now lives in an apartment close to where she works.

“The Mission did something really wonderful in my life. The best part is I know how to trust God in the good times and the bad – He will always take care of me.”

Donna not only found a job while at the Mission; she found Jesus Christ. Help create more stories of life transformation through your support today. Your gift of $26.82 provides a hot meal and life changing care for a homeless man, woman or child in Central Florida!