TAMPA, Fla. — About $50,000 worth of materials were stolen from a Metropolitan Ministries tent site in October, delaying preparations for the organization’s Thanksgiving distributions as donations also lag behind past years.
James Dunbar with Metropolitan Ministries said the stolen materials include aluminum uprights and cross members used to build walls inside the tents. The materials help divide the large tents into smaller spaces for families receiving assistance.
“Definitely a whirlwind of a week,” Dunbar said. “We got our tents set up late. Went to go set up the inside of the tents, and a lot of the product we needed was missing.”
Dunbar said the missing materials are delaying the setup by at least 10 to 15 days.
“The tents themselves are cavernous,” Dunbar said. “To bring that hospitable, welcoming feel, we break it into smaller components. The pipe and drape is pivotal to bring that dignity factor.”
Metropolitan Ministries is preparing to serve nearly 30,000 households this year. Dunbar said donations are down, including dry goods the organization needs to support that many families.
“This year we’re way below on our drives that bring in the dry goods to be able to support that many families,” Dunbar said.
The organization has booked 300 of the 800 drives it hopes to host this year. Dunbar said rising food costs and reductions in SNAP benefits are among the challenges affecting donors and families.
“Food costs have gone up; reductions in SNAP benefits that would have normally help support our drives are struggling themselves,” Dunbar said.
Dunbar said the organization is still confident it will be able to serve families in need, but it needs community support to meet its goals.
Food donation drives are scheduled for Nov. 9 in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties. Families can drop off anything from one can of food to a full carload of donations.