The following story is a first-person account from Joe, a participant at Metro CareRing in Denver, Colorado.

I have been coming to Metro CareRing off and on for several years, and I can honestly tell you that the organization has changed my life. I used to be out on the streets, homeless, not doing the things that I should have been doing.  I was addicted to drugs and was just cruising around the neighborhood. I wasn’t living my life in a productive way.

I had heard about Metro CareRing long before I started going there, but I didn’t use Metro CareRing’s services because I didn’t feel like I deserved it.  I wasn’t living my life the right way, so why should I deserve help? But I remember being hungry. Being hungry is exhausting.  When you’re hungry it kind of clouds your thinking.  To me, a person who is hungry is without the possibilities of growth.  When you’ve eaten a good meal, however, you can think straight and deal with the other issues in life. 

When I finally started coming to Metro CareRing, it opened me up to new possibilities.  I wasn’t hungry anymore, but more importantly I started changing my life.  I wanted to contribute back to others, the way Metro CareRing had contributed to me. 

My life has become meaningful, and a big part of that is Metro CareRing. This organization has lifted me and encouraged me, and whenever I hear about someone in need, I tell them about Metro CareRing.

I really do believe that Metro CareRing is a blessing from above.   Metro CareRing has made me a better person.  I’m now studying human services at Community College of Denver and I want to get involved with nonprofit organizations to give back to my community.