Metropolitan Ministries’ holiday tent brings food and toys to Tampa Bay families

The holidays are not always an easy time for the poor with the hope for gifts and festive food clashing with flat wages and ever-increasing prices for necessities. But there is one special place where families who need assistance for the holidays can go to get food, toys, and spiritual assistance: Metropolitan Ministries’ Holiday Tent.

Visitors to the tent will immediately notice the giant scale of the tent on 905 N. Governor St. on the outskirts of downtown Tampa. 100,000 people are involved in helping the Holiday Tent run during the holiday season to assist over 18,000 families. The 100,000 includes many donors and sponsors, along with 10,000 volunteers. 

My guide in touring the Holiday Tent, Manage of Marking Communications Ariel Gibbs, affirmed that the volunteers were key in enabling the Holiday Tent to run so smoothly (she was a volunteer herself before working at Metropolitan Ministries). Among the volunteers I met were a number of students from Tampa Preparatory School and members of the LAMPLighters ladies auxiliary group. 

Entering the tent, I noticed many sections for toys being processed and shelves of toys for families to choose from for their children. In particular abundance were dolls and stuffed animals. Gibbs noted that there was a great need for gifts for teens like makeup kits, basketballs, and inexpensive headphones (gifts suggested to cost less than $25).    

The area for food had many nonperishable items and a section where families could get a turkey or ham with ham, yams, and starches said to be in special demand. There was also an area for children to play and meet Santa, while visitors could rest and enjoy refreshments.  Volunteer entertainers also had a place to give performances. 

Gibbs pointed out that, as a non-denominational and faith-based organization, Metropolitan Ministries wanted to “not just feed people but meet their spiritual needs.” For those interested in spiritual guidance, there was a Chapel of Hope set up where visitors could pray with a volunteer clergy person, receive a Bible and write down a prayer request or source of thanks.

Chapel Coordinator Paula Becker showed me some of the requests and thanks that she received. Cards for thanks included gratitude for the work of Metropolitan, healing, or economic opportunities. The requests involved illnesses, threatened evictions, and family members in need. Becker said a few requests were funny, like a child who asked for a Bop It! and a gallon of washable glue for Christmas, while others made her cry, like a woman experiencing her last Christmas who was grateful she could make her family a turkey dinner one last time.

“We get to be the hope,” Becker said, and she and Gibbs both spoke of how rewarding it was to be part of this community effort  Volunteers will be needed for the 2018 the holiday season, especially those who speak Spanish, and for the less glamorous but necessary task of dismantling the tent after Christmas. And Gibbs stressed that help is also needed at Metropolitan Ministries all through the year. Want to help? Here's how. 

This article appears in Nov 8-15, 2018.