TAMPA, Fla. —As the holiday season approaches, nonprofits across Tampa Bay are facing mounting pressure to support families in need.  

This year is proving especially challenging as food pantries work to restock their shelves after the recent government shutdown, just as the number of people seeking assistance continues to grow.

What You Need To Know

 Metropolitan Ministries has opened its 6 holiday tents across Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Counties

 The non-profit says 31,000 have registered for holiday assistance, as it expanded it’s registration to 33,000 people

 Big donation drivers are kicking off Friday across Tampa

The need at Metropolitan Ministries Metro Markets, its year-round sites, have increased by 300%

“Coming off the government shutdown and delayed SNAP benefits, we are seeing a need like we haven’t seen since COVID,” said Dr. Sarah Combs, President and CEO of Metropolitan Ministries.

The organization invited us inside its holiday tent in Tampa this week, where volunteers were busy sorting donations and organizing shelves to prepare for the rush of families expected in the coming weeks.

Metropolitan Ministries reports that more than 30,000 people have registered for holiday assistance this year. But the surge isn’t limited to the nonprofit’s main operations—its neighborhood “Metro Market” sites are seeing even sharper increases.

“We’ve seen an increase in registrations for our holiday tents, but we’ve also seen a huge increase in our metro markets where residents come to get assistance,” Dr. Combs said. “That number has increased by 300%, which really shows how much our Tampa Bay families need help right now.”

To meet the demand, Metropolitan Ministries has set up six holiday tents across Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.

Beginning tomorrow, the organization will launch a weekend-long donation push, including:

Feed the Bay on Friday
Fishing for Hope on Saturday
The Westchase Community Drive on Sunday

Full event details and ways to donate can be found here https://www.metromin.org/holiday-central/