Metropolitan Ministries sees surge in need, and giving, during pandemic

TAMPA, Fla. - It's been a rough year for Courtney Thompson. She had a serious illness and then lost her job because of COVID-19. 

“You try and wonder how you are going to pay your next month's rent,” she said. “You know, are you going to have a home to live in?"

Things are looking a little brighter now thanks to Metropolitan Ministries. They paid her rent last month through their assistance program. 

"Without Metropolitan Ministries I don't know what I would have done," Thompson shared. "I really don't. They gave me some sense of security at that point. You know when everything else has been failing."

She's not the only one. Since the pandemic started Metropolitan Ministries has helped more than 1500 families stay in their homes. 

"We say it all the time, Metropolitan Ministries can't do anything without the support of the community," said Justine Burke, vice president of marketing & communications for Metropolitan Ministries. 

Donors also provided needed food assistance for families too. 

"We saw a surge in need in March when all this first started. But, we equally have seen a surge in giving. It's really like nothing that we have ever seen," Burke explained. 

Metropolitan Ministries is proud of the selfless giving of the Tampa Bay community. 

"We just continue to be overwhelmed by the generosity of people of Tampa Bay who are willing to help complete strangers because they care," Burke said. 

A caring attitude that is contagious. 

"Having Metropolitan Ministries and the people that they have working for them it's just that they give you a warm feeling that everything is going to work out. It's going to be ok," Thompson said.

 A community working together to help those in need get through the pandemic crisis. Metropolitan Ministries has raised more than $2 million for COVID-19 relief.