Metropolitan Ministries Served 33,000 Families This Holiday Season Across Tampa Bay

Metropolitan Ministries helped 33,000 families through its Holiday Tent Assistance Program this year. Food went out. So did 60,000 toys for 30,000 children across Tampa Bay. The program wrapped up when volunteers made 1,000 hot Christmas meals on Dec. 25 for people without homes.

Staff and volunteers packed the kitchen before sunrise on Christmas Day at the nonprofit's Tampa campus. Meals were handed out throughout the day at spots in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.

Families staying at the campus celebrated Christmas morning. Children opened gifts near decorated trees. Parents and staff gathered inside the Welcome Center and courtyard for activities, games, and treats.

WWE legend Titus O'Neil joined the volunteer team on Christmas Eve to prepare meals. The Tampa resident has volunteered at the organization for 10 years.

"I was one of those kids that was less fortunate. My mom had me at 12 years old," O'Neil said, per Fox 13 News. "If it wasn't for the generosity of other people, I would not be in a position that I'm in right now."

O'Neil invited Hollywood movie producer and St. Petersburg native Will Packer to volunteer this year. Packer brought his wife and four kids.

"There is so much impact and joy that you get from giving," Packer said. "It far exceeds what you get from receiving."

Executive director Sarah Combs said 100 families sat down together on Christmas Eve in the cafeteria for meals. The organization helps 300 families and 600 children through residential and community-based programs year-round.

Charnella Walker has lived at the facility since October with her two sons, one-year-old Azure and seven-year-old Darrell. She talked about what the support has meant.

"The alternate was being outside," Walker said. "I appreciate the safety, warmth, and us being together."

Walker said the experience gives her family a chance to rebuild. "This gives us options to start over again," she said. "We don't have to really rush and be stressed out all at once."

Leaders said donations were down this year while need continued to go up. Registrations for food and toy assistance filled faster than ever. Items for older children and teens were hard to keep in stock.

The nonprofit has served Tampa Bay for more than 50 years, offering hunger relief, emergency shelter, housing, education, job training, and support services to more than 100,000 families and children each year.