For This Family, Hope Started With a Thanksgiving Meal

Still reeling from her job loss during the pandemic, this hardworking single mom is grateful for all you did to help make her family’s Thanksgiving special!

Last year, Tammy was working as a photographer’s assistant. It was hard, but she and her family were getting by.

Then the pandemic hit.

Her employer lost many of his customers. But when he contracted COVID-19 himself, that was the last straw. He was forced to close the business. With no income, Tammy and her children faced real trouble.

She was able to get unemployment benefits of $125 a week, plus about $100 a week’s worth of food stamps. But anyone who lives in Tampa Bay knows that doesn’t even come close to what a family needs to put food on the table and keep the lights on.

Thankfully, Tammy’s oldest son still had a job. And he was able to contribute his small income. But, she says, it wasn’t nearly enough “to keep our heads above water.” And with the holiday season coming, they were near desperation.

Making the holidays special

“I remember being so stressed about how I would make the holidays special,” she says. “I’m a single mom of eight. And three of my children have special needs. I realized that, with no income, I wouldn’t be able to get food for them for Thanksgiving and toys for Christmas.”

That’s when Metro came to the rescue.

Tammy visited our Holiday Tent, hoping for any assistance we could provide to help her family get through that special season.

She recalls, “As a mom, I really wanted to make sure my kids had things for the holidays.” Thanks to you and other compassionate Metro partners, Tammy’s holiday wish came true.

“The help Metro gave me with food and gifts, including a good family meal, really helped us and gave me the security I was looking for,” she says. “It was a weight lifted, and I felt better.”

“[Metro’s] help was a weight lifted, and I felt better.”

Despite her circumstances, she felt so blessed that Metro was able to help her make ends meet and get through the crisis. “I didn’t have a set plan in place,” she tells us, “but Metro gave me food, which made an already stressful holiday easier.”

“Thank you for blessing us”

Tammy is so thankful to Metro — and to YOU — for helping her family get through a trying time. Looking back, she can say, “I’m thankful to have been able to provide things for my eight children, even if it wasn’t what we are used to. The holidays are about the smaller things like being together.”

“If I can say anything, I’d say thank you for blessing us. It’s made a difference.”

The food and services YOU and other Metro partners provide can open the door to help and hope for even more families like Tammy’s this Thanksgiving. Please give that same opportunity to other struggling Tampa Bay families!