TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — During this cold snap, families across Tampa Bay are turning to the metropolitan ministries for help. And for some, the calls are nothing short of life-saving.
When the temperatures dropped, the phones started ringing at Metropolitan Ministries. For Marcia Hall, a 17-year veteran at the nonprofit, one call stood out. “She was just walking around downtown crying and just really beyond herself because she didn’t know where she and her children were going to live tonight,” Hall said.
Hall said that desperate mother found relief in a place that refuses to turn anyone away. For Marcia, the call hit close to home. “Because I’ve been in that situation, I didn’t have kids when I had to run from my abuser,” Hall said. “But I did experience temporary homelessness, not knowing where I could go, where I could be safe. “ Metropolitan ministries broke records, providing 75 hotel vouchers to shelter 70 adults and 140 children. Brensey Thompson said the organization has never seen anything like it… “We have seen an increase in need and have provided the most hotel vouchers that we’ve ever given out,” Thompson said. “We are seeing a three times increase in the normal assistance that we provide during cold weather shelter.” But their work goes beyond the shelter. Volunteers are preparing hot meals to deliver to families staying in those hotels. Inside the center, staff are busy answering calls for help and coordinating resources…