News Room
In the News Room you will up-to-date information about the Ministries including, press releases, success stories, video highlights and much more. Click on the side links for more information.
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Recent News Stories
Harlem Globetrotters Spread Happiness at Metropolitan Ministries Partnership School
August 26, 2010 - Fox 13's Charlie Belcher shows off his basketball skills with the Harlem Globetrotters at the Metropolitan Ministries Partnership School - See the video
The Metropolitan Ministries Partnership School receives prize from Howard Johnson's "Give Happy Challenge"
August 26, 2010 - We are excited to share that The Metropolitan Ministries Partnership School received their prize from Howard Johnson's "Give Happy Challenge" winning $15,000 and a visit from the Harlem Globetrotters. Many of you and countless members of our community helped us achieve this award by participating in the public online vote. The Partnership School Staff extends their deepest gratitude for each of you who helped the school achieve this recognition.
Joining Hands prepares 150 children for school
August 26, 2010 - Those who made Kids Camp possible got their payoff in the form of happy young faces as the camp concluded with 150 campers and their siblings getting backpacks loaded with school supplies. The backpacks were from the Backpacks of Hope of Metropolitan Ministries.
Fill Backpacks for Families in Need
August 17, 2010 - Metropolitan Ministries Backpacks of Hope project is doling out a total of 5 thousand backpacks filled with supplies to families in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Counties.
T-Yanks Team Up with Metropolitan Ministries
August 18, 2010 - Saks Salon Gives At Risk Children a Back to School Treat.
United Community Church of Sun City Center
United Community Church of Sun City Center is participating in "Backpacks of Hope" through Metropolitan Ministries to collect backpacks and school supplies for needy kids in the bay area.
Shelter chef drops pounds, cooks healthy for residents
One Bay Area homeless shelter has made some big changes in its kitchen, promoting a healthier lifestyle for those in need thanks to their executive chef.
‘Blind Side’ mom: Kids need hope
"All they need is hope, love and opportunity,” Leigh Anne Tuohy explained to the 2,600 who attended the Metropolitan Ministries’ Bridge Builders Benefit at the David A Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday night.
Inspiration for 'The Blind Side' featured at Tampa fundraiser
If you're still searching for a perfect Mother's Day gift, and you want something a little meaningful, Metropolitan Ministries has a suggestion.
Mother's Day benefit: Behind "The Blind Side"
Positively Tampa Bay: Lissette Campos visits with Tim Marks, COO of Metropolitan Ministries to talk about their upcoming Mother's Day benefit.
Mother featured in "The Blind Side" movie visits the Bay area
Mother's Day is a time to celebrate all the moms who have stepped up to the plate to care for a child that's not theirs.
Meal with a mission
The second annual Stubb's Feed the World tour visited Tampa's Metropolitan Ministries on April 15, providing a Texas barbecue lunch for about 500 people.
Times Forum offers free Storm tickets as incentive to donate
Every other Friday throughout the summer, the Forum will host a special community initiative. Those donating will receive a voucher redeemable for four tickets to a Tampa Bay Storm home game, plus will be offered additional ticket discounts throughout the campaign.
Give food, get free Disney on Ice tickets
Giving food to the hungry gives you more than a good feeling this week, it gets you free tickets to Disney on Ice.
William Smith Junior, once homeless, now helps feed the homeless on Easter at Metropolitan Ministries
Once a client and now self-sufficient, William returned to Metropolitan Ministries on Easter to help serve those who are still in need.
Metro Ministries helping food pantries
The Faith Cafe does receive some donations from the public, but not enough. They now rely completely on Metropolitan Ministries.
Metropolitan Ministries school hoping for improvement
More than half of the Metropolitan Ministries Partnership School students are homeless, coping with instability and distractions as they prepare for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
Need for Thanksgiving donations is up
Metropolitan Ministries is teaming up with 17 different organizations in Pinellas County to help provide meals to families in need.
Metropolitan Ministries to serve thousands this holiday
Thousands of families who would have otherwise gone hungry this Thanksgiving, will receive a turkey dinner with all of the trimmings this holiday.
Metropolitan Ministries brings Thanksgiving to those in need
Metropolitan Ministries provided toys and holiday meals to 29,000 families in the Tampa Bay area with the help of 12,000 volunteers.
Jobless in Tampa area find new work in volunteerism
Metropolitan Ministries has recorded a 25 percent increase in volunteers over the past two years. At least five people on the nonprofit's staff started off that way.
For homeless kids, program offers hope
Metropolitan Ministries teams up with Hillsborough County Public Schools to bring a Headstart program to children on the Metro campus.
Overcoming homelessness through Metropolitan Ministries' Uplift U
These three women are on the right track, so it's difficult to believe their path to success began with the despair of homelessness.
Homeless Donations Needed
Several bay area organizations are distributing winter gear to help those living on local streets.
Metropolitan Ministries having to cut back
Metropolitan Ministries officials say with unemployment up they expect thousands of families to ask for help for the first time. Director Morris Hintzman says unfortunately the down economy means donations are down from past years.
Met Ministries to hand out toy vouchers
Met Ministries to hand out toy vouchers Boxes and shelves are bare, the donation line often empty— yet many families are still arriving at Metropolitan Ministries looking for help this holiday season. "I came here for help with toys for the kids and a food basket," Shana Nunez said.
Teens spend winter break volunteering
School may be out for most Bay area teens, but some have found a way to get into the Christmas spirit. Students are volunteering at Metropolitan Ministries' holiday tent this week. Some teens take in donations, others sort food and toy donations, and others are personal shoppers helping people navigate through the tents.
Metropolitan Ministries in serious need this week
Metropolitan Ministries is bracing itself for a make it or break it day. With very little food and toys on their shelves and 1,200 families and 2,500 children in need coming to Metropolitan Ministries’ Holiday Center today and hundreds more to its satellite sites, the Ministries is operating on a hour-to-hour basis and may have to give clients a rain check and ask them to return on Christmas Eve.
Bay area charity needs help
A very prominent organization in the bay area responsible for feeding many needy people is having a hard time this holiday season meeting the big order…
Holiday Prayer Chapels Hold Comfort, Hope For Those in Need
Deschele received the news that she had lost a child while standing in line at Metropolitan Ministries. A counselor comforted her prayed with her in the solitude of the chapel inside the Holiday Tent.
Economic Woes Mean Empty Shelves for Local Charities
Normally at this time of year, the drive-through lines at Metropolitan Ministries are busy, this year volunteers often have to wait for cars with donations.
The Venue and Metropolitan Ministries Team Up to Help Feed families
For every catered meal the Venue sells, they will donate that same meal to Metropolitan Ministries.
Met Ministries Needs Food Desperately
Volunteers at Metropolitan Ministries are sorting and packaging what they can, but unfortunately the donations are not coming in fast enough.
Busy days for Metropolitan Ministries
Angie Daubenspeck is one of thousands of people around the bay area turning to Metro.
These Shelves Will be Empty By Monday
Fox reports on the extreme needs Metropolitan Ministries is facing while gearing up for Thanksgiving.
People in Need Take Time to Help Others
Unemployed supporters of Metropolitan Ministries use their free time to volunteer. Even though if their job search takes a significant amount of time, they may become clients.
Fishing for Hope Food Drive
Fishing for Hope food drive, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Metropolitan Ministries (2002 N. Florida Ave.) in Tampa. Donated items will be loaded into a 24-foot Skeeter boat.
Group Works to Broaden Safety Net
Metropolitan Ministries expands Holiday Assistance into Pinellas, Pasco, and Plant City to help more families in need.
In Time of Need, a Need for Generousity
While the economy continues to suffer, Metropolitan Ministries finds that they have a greater number of families to help than ever before.
Childhood Poverty Rises
The number of children in poverty in the Tampa Bay area grew over 30% in 2008.
Comforting a bigger flock
The President of MM, Morris Hintzman explains his views on compassion and what the organization accomplishes.
Ministries Ushers in Help
Volunteers help serve families in Pinellas County.
Hunger Pains More Americans
A first time client of Metropolitan Ministries explains how she found herself in this situation.
Ministry offers Help to the Needy
An introduction to our Pinellas partner, Taking it to the Street and the founders.
Helping Hand Even Better than Handouts for the Homeless
An introduction to our Pasco partner, Joining Hands Community Mission and how we are serving families together.
Met Ministries kicking off holiday food program
Metropolitan Ministries will begin distributing the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner to the area's needy families Monday.
Help Metropolitan Ministries help others
The organization estimates it will help 23 percent more families this holiday season, but donations have dropped by 50 percent over last year.
Free Tickets to Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's
Tickets to the 140th edition of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth will be given away on Friday, November 20th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in exchange for non perishable foods.
Practically Free Circus Tickets
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® will be giving away tickets to see the 140th Edition of The Greatest Show On Earth®, Barnum’s FUNundrumSM, a celebration of P. T. Barnum so big, it is an event 200 years in the making. In exchange, they’re asking Bay area residents to donate food to help stock the shelves at Metropolitan Ministries, to feed the needy in our community this holiday season.
Metro's Trucks of Hope
Metro gets new look for their trucks in hopes of increasing awareness.
Starting School with Style
Children from Metropolitan Ministries were treated to makeovers courtesy of the Salon and Spa at Saks Fifth Avenue in WestShore Plaza
Donate back-to-school items to help kids who don't have a lot
A blogger picks up extra back to school items for children in need.
Metropolitan Ministries, Clear Channel stations team up on school supply effort
Through Thursday, Metropolitan Ministries and local Clear Channel radio stations will be at bay area Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores collecting school supplies.
Backpacks of Hope
The need is greater than ever, and Tampa's Metropolitan Ministries is asking for the community's help in filling 5,000 backpacks.
Recent Press Releases:
Annual Backpacks of Hope Event August 15 (August 11, 2009)
Florida Senator to Visit At-Risk Kids (August 4, 2009)
Metropolitan Ministries Seeks Community Support for School Supplies Collection (July 29, 2009)
(for more information on VPK click here)
Metropolitan Ministries Hosts 4th of July Celebration for the Community (June 25, 2009)
Golf Tourney Makes the Swing for Homeless Families in Tampa Bay (June 5, 2009)
Metropolitan Ministries Hosts BBQ for Building Partners (May 1, 2009)
Metropolitan Ministries GED Open House Today (March 18, 2009)
Amy Grant to Host Benefit Concert (March 12, 2009)
PromiseLand Receives Perfect Score (February 23, 2009)