The Metropolitan Ministries Holiday Tent in Tampa is officially open and accepting donations for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and once again, your help is needed more than ever.
This year, the non-profit which serves our six county region, expects to assist more than 37,000 families. Supply chain issues are contributing to a shortage of much needed items for the holidays.
Metropolitan Ministries has bulk purchased many food items for families, however they need the community’s help to fill in the gaps.
The most needed food items include:
- stuffing
- cranberry sauce
- gravy
- canned yams
- turkeys and hams
- canned vegetables
- boxed potatoes
- cereal
- rice
- beans
- macaroni and cheese
- dessert mixes
- gift cards
- toys/gifts for children ages 4-17
Each family that receives help from Metropolitan Ministries is given a Box of Hope–with enough food for a holiday meal for each person in their family. It’s roughly the equivalent of 60 semi-truck trailers of food or more than 1 million pounds of food.
That’s a lot of food and why they’re reaching out to the community to help fulfill the need.
If you have some time this week, take the kids along for a shopping trip and let them pick out these desperately needed items. You can drop them off at the following Holiday Tent location:
Tampa Holiday Tent
Tuesday, November 15 | 11:30am-1pm
Metropolitan Ministries Main Holiday Tent
2609 N. Rome Ave., Tampa
E. Pasco Holiday Tent
Wednesday, November 16 | 12-12:45pm
Metropolitan Ministries East Pasco
13703 17th St., Dade City
W. Pasco Holiday Tent
Thursday, November 17 | 7-8pm
Generations Christian Church
1540 Little Rd., Trinity
You can locate other drop-off locations near you here.
*If you’d prefer to shop online, you can do so here to help.
There is also a need for your time as a volunteer at the Holiday Tents and in distribution locations throughout Tampa Bay. Kids as young as 8 years old can volunteer with their parents in the Holiday Tent, so this is a great way to teach your kids the importance of giving back. Learn more here.
Learn more about how you can donate by visiting www.metromin.org.
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- A Season of Giving: 10 Ways to Give Back as a Family in Tampa Bay
- Paws for Literacy: A Kid-Friendly Way to Volunteer at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, plus MORE ways to volunteer as a family
