Client Story: Ronnie

Thanks to you, Ronnie has much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Ronnie had been sleeping on the floor for two weeks after moving out of a hotel room and into his own home for the first time in seven years.

Ronnie had an empty home, but your support of The Mustard Seed’s furniture program enabled him to fully furnish it three days before Thanksgiving.

Ronnie lost his job in 2012 after getting sick. In the past seven years, Ronnie had been hospitalized 31 times after having multiple surgeries. He lived in homeless shelters and hotel rooms.

“I spent six months in a nursing home and then in the hospital,” Ronnie said. “It wiped me out. I had nothing.”

When Ronnie was released from the hospital he took a cab to a homeless shelter and then “hit the streets” while he waited on a list to secure affordable housing.

“I had never been homeless before,” Ronnie said. “Homelessness can happen to the best of us through no fault of our own.”

In 2016, Ronnie enrolled at Valencia College to study digital media technology. He used part of his financial aid to get himself off the street and began living in hotel rooms.

Ronnie is one of nearly 3,000 people The Mustard Seed assists annually.

Thank you for caring about people like Ronnie and for helping Central Florida residents regain hope, dignity and stability.

Donate here to help others like Ronnie.