Jessica Bennett

Review of Metropolitan Ministries

I have got to say... With all the people who have ...

I have got to say... With all the people who have never needed help directing me HERE to get resources and assistance- i thought SURELY this facility could at LEAST give me answers and direction. Boy oh boy was I wrong! 1st experience- homeless and 7 months pregnant with my now 16 month old son, my fiance and I go to metropolitan ministries to ask for assistance with FOOD. We had been staying in motels off and on while we both worked trying to keep a roof over our heads. We waited at metropolitan for 5 hours before we spoke to who we thought to be our case worker. Without even the opportunity to explain our living situation she looked at our hotel receipts and refused to give us food. Her exact words being, "you ain't got no proof you have a refrigerator in there. It has to at LEAST be on your receipt." We then offered to call the owner of the motel, and we showed her Google earth photos of their sign that stated "microwaves and refrigerators in EVERY room". She still refused she said, " but I'll allow you to get a bag lunch." Even with me obviously pregnant! I approached another woman there, after she refused to help us, crying and begging for the box of food they provide for others (that i guess are MORE worthy) she spoke to her supervisor and omg... I was able to get the box of food after being there the whole entire day! God bless that woman. Needless to say i never went back for over a year. Second experience- i call ahead of time and speak to a sweet older lady. She tells me since I'm 3 days away from being on the street to come in and tells me what to bring. At this point in time my son who i was pregnant with my last visit to metropolitan was now about 6 months old and had been diagnosed with down syndrome. I had the same woman again, but rather than judge her for her unprofessional mannerisms my last visit i FINALLY was called back to her "cubicle with a door" along with another woman and her child. The worker sat me in the corner of her office while she conversated with the other woman and asked her questions. Assuming i would get the same respect and treatment i waited patiently. But at the end of OUR interview all this case worker asked me was "so what do YOU expect from me? You ain't got no family or nuttin' that can help you? Really? We don't have nothin that can help you NOW." The other woman she spoke to the whole entire time was staying with her sister and just WANTED to move out. We had no where else to go. And she was OBVIOUSLY not starving. But the case worker gave her a list of resources and neglected to give me the same and ended the "interview". Therefore I went upfront and explained the situation to the little old lady who provided me with more info than that racist cow EVER could or would have.
Its now been years later and I'll NEVER go back. And i recommend to anyone try elsewhere first!