RUSKIN, Fla. — Metropolitan Ministries, a non-profit organization, plans to help nearly 15,000 families with Thanksgiving food assistance.
The organization hosted its first pop-up holiday tent of the season on Thursday evening.
Metropolitan Ministries feeds families in need during the holiday season:
Families drove up to receive a turkey, ham and other food items at The Crossing Church in Ruskin.
Christine Long, executive vice president and chief programs officer, says they're seeing an increased need this holiday season.
"Matter of fact, over 400% increase in the number of people coming, quadruple what we typically see, so there’s lots of people struggling this holiday season and we want to do our best to serve as many of them as possible throughout the Tampa Bay region," she said.
Long believes there may be several factors contributing to a greater need for food assistance.
"Certainly the economic situation in general, coupled with the government shutdown, the SNAP benefit delays have really caused people to be struggling, of course, we’re hopeful that things will start turning around and people will start to see some relief and we’re here to help them through the holiday season to make it happy and bright," said Long.
The nonprofit plans to help 33,000 families during the holiday season.
"We’re going to be all throughout Tampa Bay at pop-up locations in people’s neighborhoods as well as, of course, our typical holiday tent which we’re going to have for holidays this year," said Long.
Kimberly Davis was one of many who received food assistance.
"Me and my husband, we don't generally ask for help. We're not the type of people, you know, we have a lot of pride, but sometimes you got to put the pride aside to get the help you need," said Davis.
Metropolitan Ministries has been helping families for more than 50 years. The first holiday tent launched in 1995.
The organization said all of the sites, except the Pinellas tent, are at capacity for Thanksgiving. The Pinellas tent has about 250 spots remaining and it's the only site left for families to receive assistance for Thanksgiving. Demand for December is also record breaking.
For more information on availability for December click here.
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