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Metro Ministries urgently requests donations to meet soaring Thanksgiving need

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Published  November 22, 2025 6:28pm EST
Tampa
FOX 13 News
Collecting food for those in need this holiday season

Collecting food for those in need this holiday season

FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis spoke with Metro Ministries about the push to fill the gap.

The Brief

    • Metropolitan Ministries says demand for meal assistance is up 300% across the Bay Area.
    • All Thanksgiving meal distribution slots were filled within the first week.
    • The nonprofit says it urgently needs food donations and volunteers, especially at its Pinellas tent.

TAMPA - Metropolitan Ministries is seeing one of its highest levels of need ever heading into Thanksgiving. 

The nonprofit now operates holiday tents in Tampa, West Pasco, East Pasco, and Pinellas, where families can shop for holiday meal staples. 

RELATED: Metropolitan Ministries kicks off holiday tent season as need for help doubles across Tampa Bay region

Even with large collection events, including Saturday’s "Fishing for Hope" food drive, staff and volunteers say donations are leaving shelves just as quickly as they arrive.

Demand for services is up 300% across the region, driven by factors such as job losses and ripple effects from the recent government shutdown, according to Metropolitan Ministries.

The nonprofit’s goal is to collect and distribute 1 million pounds of food through the end of the year, a task that requires more than 15,000 volunteers.

What they're saying:

"We have families that are fearful in the holidays," said Justine Burke, the nonprofit’s VP of Marketing & Communications. "A lot of parents have guilt because they feel like they can’t do that extra."

Anglers involved in Saturday’s "Sink the Boat Challenge" said the need becomes clear when you see the flow of families arriving. "There’s a line that’s getting longer and longer," said Captain Dylan Hubbard. "We need as many donations, if not more coming in so that the other side can pick up as much food as they need."

RELATED: 500 Tampa families receive Thanksgiving meals through Bullard Family Foundation, Metro Ministries

Big picture view:

Tens of thousands of local families do not know whether they’ll have Thanksgiving dinner on the table this week. 

Community donations, even small ones, directly support families visiting the holiday tents for groceries they otherwise couldn’t afford.

What you can do:

Metropolitan Ministries urgently still needs donations of hams, rice, potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and dessert mixes before Thanksgiving. 

Items can be dropped off at any of its holiday tents Sunday-Tuesday before 9 a.m.

Food drop off locations

  • 2609 N Rome Ave. Tampa, FL 33607
  • 16202 Bruce B Downs Blvd. Tampa, FL 33647
  • 1540 Little Rd. Trinity, FL 34655
  • 13703 17th St. Dade City, FL 33525
  • 7851 54th Ave. N St. Petersburg, FL 33709
  • 21010 State Road 54 Lutz, FL 33558

You can visit the Bullard Family Foundation or Metro Ministries to help.

You can also donate to Feeding Tampa Bay through their online portal.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis.

Tampa