TAMPA — Metropolitan Ministries is a few weeks away from opening its holiday tents, and it's now short about $50,000 in supplies.
Someone broke into the nonprofit's Hillsborough holiday tent site in the Westshore area and took aluminum from its pipe-and-drape equipment, along with several other items, FOX 13 reported. Pipe and drape is what Metro Ministries uses to build the temporary walls inside its tents, the dividers that guide families and volunteers through. The stolen materials were meant for all four holiday tents: Tampa, East Pasco, West Pasco and Pinellas.
“Our tents went up about two weeks ago, and we start bringing product in from our warehouses, everything needed to build them out,” James Dunbar, the nonprofit's vice president of outreach, prevention and community partnership, told ABC Action News. Over the past week the pipe and drape started arriving, he said, “and at some point, at the end of last week is when we noticed that it was all missing.”
The organization says it's working with its vendor to replace the materials, which are available, so the tents can open on time. This season it expects to help more than 30,000 families and children with Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and toys.
“While this is an unexpected setback, our focus remains on the families who are counting on us this holiday season,” Metropolitan Ministries President and CEO Dr. Sarah Combs said in a statement. “For 54 years, this community has helped Metro bring hope to our neighbors.”
If you know something
Tampa police are investigating. Call TPD at (813) 231-6130 and refer to report No. 26-623895.
How to help
- Give: Metro Ministries is asking for donations to cover the loss through its holiday tent giving page.
- Host a food drive: This may be the bigger need. Dunbar said the holidays take about 800 food drives, and only 200 to 250 are booked. “Those drives are the big engine that provides the product,” he said. Details are on the nonprofit's ways to give page.
- What to collect: The most-needed items include frozen turkeys and hams, cereal, canned yams, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gift cards for food and toys, and gifts for teens 13 to 17, according to the nonprofit's holiday FAQ.
- Volunteer: You can sign up for a shift at any of the four tents.
If your family needs holiday help
Families with children under 18, and seniors, who are struggling financially can sign up. That includes people on SNAP, SSI, disability, Medicaid, unemployment or cash assistance, and people who've lost hours or a job. Registration is online through Metro Ministries' holiday help page, and Thanksgiving and Christmas are separate sign-ups. You'll need to upload a photo ID, proof of address such as a utility bill or lease, and proof of need. Check the registration page to see which pickup dates and times are still open.
- Tampa tent (4900 W. Lemon St.): Thanksgiving shopping Nov. 13–25, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- West Pasco, East Pasco (Dade City) and Pinellas (Holy Cross Catholic Church) tents: Thanksgiving shopping Nov. 20–25, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- One-day drive-thru pop-ups: Crossover Church and Trinity Presbyterian on Nov. 16, and Fivay High School on Nov. 18, each 4 to 6 p.m.
In-person help with registration is meant mainly for seniors 55 and older who have trouble applying online. It's available through Nov. 24 at the Family Support Centers at 2301 N. Tampa St. in Tampa, 3216 U.S. 19 N. in Holiday, and 13703 17th St. in Dade City, and at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 7851 54th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg.