Metropolitan Ministries

Metropolitan Ministries mission is to care for the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless in our community through services that alleviate suffering, promote dignity, and instill self-sufficiency...as an expression of the ongoing ministry of Jesus Christ. MM does not proselytize and serves all who are in need.

• About Us
  Metropolitan Ministries, Inc. (MM) is a community-supported, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing answers for poor and homeless families. MM is committed to providing services to prevent homelessness, ease hunger and offer homeless persons life-changing solutions leading to self-sufficiency. This has been the cornerstone of MM’s approach since its founding in 1972 when 13 downtown Tampa churches, all different denominations, joined together to address the issues of poverty and homelessness in our community. Prior to coming together, each congregation was doing what they could to help those who came to their doors. As the needs continued to grow, they consolidated their efforts and formed a new venture, MM. Today, the organization is supported by a broad base of community donations and volunteers from a variety of faith groups, individuals, businesses and private foundations.
  Over the past 45 years, the campus has evolved from a one-room soup kitchen with one staff member and 75 volunteers working out of a 1,200 ft² dilapidated house to a full educational and housing program for 100 homeless families and 250 children with 213 staff members, 23,850 volunteers, and 277,000 ft² of space covering four city blocks. In addition to the outreach and prevention center, MM campus includes two residence halls, gymnasium, youth enrichment center, chapel, PromiseLand daycare center, and partnership elementary school, a GED classroom and employment lab. Our commitment to fiscal responsibility and transparency has earned us the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. MM strives to promote a diverse mission-centered employee culture that facilitates teamwork, employee trust and professional development.
  The Ministries is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, staffed by competent, passionate, highly professional individuals coming from a wide variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, and faiths. The organization is guided by Tim Marks, President & CEO and a strong volunteer Board of Directors who come from various disciplines in the community.
• Our Impact
  Finding a way to help the hungry and homeless has been the cornerstone of Metropolitan Ministries' (MM) approach since 1972 when 13 downtown Tampa churches, all different denominations, joined together to address the issues of poverty and homelessness in our community. They consolidated their efforts and formed a new venture, Metropolitan Ministries. Nearly 44 years later, the organization is supported by a broad base of community donations and volunteers from a variety of faith groups, individuals, businesses, private foundations, and government grants and occupies more than a full city block of land where more than 31,000 homeless and at-risk families are served each year. Transitional housing and Emergency Shelter is provided to 92 families and 15 single women nightly. MM emphasizes housing and employment programs to assist families to successfully navigate the transition from homelessness to contributing members of the community. MM also provides early childhood education, after-school care, and supports a K-5 Hillsborough Co. Partnership School on campus. Additionally, 2,000 daily meals are prepared by MM's kitchen staff and distributed to individuals and families at 29 community partner locations throughout the Tampa Bay region.
  In 2016, MM had significant accomplishments, including:
  • 1,167,187 meals provided for hungry people
  • 143,347 shelter nights provided for children and their parents
  • 31,052 families helped through outreach services
  • 1,620 families assisted with water and electricity bills
  • 17,222 families received holiday assistance
  In 2016, 767 children benefited from MM's children services and programs, and 461 families benefited from residential housing and programs with an 87% successful exit rate. Additionally, 371 families found permanent housing.