TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — Metropolitan Ministries is preparing to welcome thousands of Tampa Bay families into its holiday tents, but even after two surprise donations totaling $65,000, the organization says it still needs the community’s help.
The nonprofit kicked off its holiday season at its new Tampa tent location in the West Shore District, where staff and volunteers are preparing for families to begin coming through for holiday assistance.
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This year, Metropolitan Ministries expects to serve 30,000 families across its Tampa Bay footprint.
"We're going to be serving 30,000 families, and that takes about a million pounds of food, 15,000 volunteers, 60,000 toys," Combs told Tampa Bay 28. "And so we're really counting on the community's support to come and help support us like they always do."
But that support is especially important this year because Combs says donation drives are still down.
"Our call to the community is that we would greatly appreciate being able to host any drives that you have at your workplace or just even your neighborhood," Combs said.
She said the organization needs canned goods, turkeys, hams and other food needed to put together holiday meals.
Financial donations can also help because Metropolitan Ministries is able to purchase needed items in bulk.
"Donations are great as well because it allows us to buy in bulk, and we still need volunteers to be able to serve all of those families that will be coming through our four tent locations in three counties," Combs said.
Two surprise donations bring in $65,000
Metropolitan Ministries received a major boost during the holiday kickoff when two community partners surprised the organization with checks totaling $65,000.
Thaddeus Bullard, better known as WWE legend Titus O’Neil, announced a $40,000 donation to Metropolitan Ministries through the Bullard Family Foundation.
"I wanted to kick off this holiday tent opening with a donation of $40,000 to Metropolitan Ministries," Bullard announced.
Bullard said this is his 11th year partnering with Metropolitan Ministries, but his connection to organizations helping families in need goes back much further.
He shared how growing up with a single mother and three siblings shaped his understanding of what that help can mean to a child.
"A single mother with four children trying to put food on the table and make ends meet that never met," Bullard said.
He recalled how the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches helped change the direction of his own life when he was 12.
"If it wasn't for organizations like Metropolitan Ministries, for me it was the Florida Sheriff's Boys Ranch," Bullard said.
He encouraged people to look beyond simply writing a check.
"I would encourage any and everybody out there that has the opportunity to do a food drive, the opportunity to collect toys, the opportunity to volunteer," Bullard said.
He specifically encouraged parents to get their high school students involved, saying volunteering can expose young people to service while helping Metropolitan Ministries handle the massive holiday operation.
From one barrel to 75
American Integrity Insurance also surprised Metropolitan Ministries with a $25,000 donation.
The company's relationship with Metropolitan Ministries dates back about 12 years, and employees have also grown their annual food drive from a single barrel of donations to 75 barrels last year.
Paul Roberts, who has helped champion the company's food drive, said seeing that first barrel years ago made him realize employees could do more.
"We filled one barrel, and I thought something's wrong here," Roberts said.
That eventually led him to offer to do the grocery shopping himself with money contributed by his coworkers.
"As the years progressed, people would send me the money, Venmo, whatever, cash, some people checks, they still use checks," Roberts said. "And we've gone from one barrel, and last year we did 75 barrels worth of food."
Roberts said he's proud of how consistently his coworkers have responded.
"They step up to the plate every time this year, and I have no problem filling up the back of my truck every single night for the next two weeks," he said. "I enjoy it. It's a labor of love."
American Integrity leaders said they hope to do even more this year despite acknowledging that higher food costs have made the challenge more difficult.
Growing need among seniors
Metropolitan Ministries leaders said demand for assistance remains significant across Tampa Bay, with seniors becoming a particularly important part of that story.
The organization said it has seen a 38% increase in seniors needing assistance.
Philip Lee, market president for Florida Blue in West Florida, said food insecurity is often the result of multiple pressures on a household rather than one isolated problem.
"Nobody decides today you wake up and you're going to become food insecure," Lee said. "It's all of the other things that are happening in that individual and that family's life."
Florida Blue is the presenting sponsor of the holiday tent and has worked with Metropolitan Ministries for more than 25 years.
Lee encouraged people across Tampa Bay to volunteer, organize donation efforts with friends, neighbors and faith communities, or donate food and money.
Community responds after theft from holiday operation
This year's holiday preparations have also come with an unexpected setback.
Combs said Metropolitan Ministries suffered a theft at its Hillsborough tent site in late October. The organization estimated about $25,000 worth of aluminum used for pipe and drape was stolen.
A police report was filed, but Combs said the focus now is on how Tampa Bay responded after learning about the loss.
"What was remarkable when we got the word out about the theft, our community came and really supported us and replaced what was missing, what got lost," Combs told Tampa Bay 28.
She said the response ultimately went beyond replacing what had been taken.
Metropolitan Ministries is now hoping to see that same generosity as it turns its attention to filling shelves and serving families.
How families can get help
The Tampa holiday tent has moved to the West Shore District on Lemon Street.
Combs said families seeking holiday assistance need to preregister before arriving.
"We want to make sure that families know they have to pre-register in advance," Combs said.
Distribution at the Hillsborough location begins Friday with a half day, followed by a full distribution day Saturday, according to Combs. Additional distribution will follow at other locations.
The organization is asking people who can help to do so in three primary ways: donate, volunteer or organize a drive.
For Combs, the scale of the need comes back to the numbers: 30,000 families, a million pounds of food, tens of thousands of toys and thousands of volunteers.
"Nothing good happens without our community," Combs said, "and Metro is just so appreciative of the good work of our community."
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