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Metropolitan Ministries feed families on Easter
Metropolitan Ministries is seeing a rise in the number of families in need, like the Murray family.
TAMPA (Bay News 9) -- Metropolitan Ministries is used to helping people in need.
But the people they're helping is changing.
Administrators said they're seeing a 20 percent increase in families, like the Murrays, looking for help. And Easter was no exception.
The Murray family fights to keep smiling. The last two weeks have been a serious test of their faith.
"What doesn't kill me makes me stronger," Natasha Murray said.
The family of seven moved here from New York this month. A relative was supposed to meet them at the bus stop. They said that relative never showed up.
"It was hard because I have my kids with me," Natasha Murray said.
Antosh and 4-year-old Nykile were all left stranded.
"We just said okay," Andrew Murray said. "We got to keep going. We didn't cry. We didn't want the children to see us cry. So we said, lets pick the faith up. Lets keep going."
On Easter Sunday they found their way to Metropolitan Ministries, celebrating the holiday with about 200 others.
"Normally it's your single male, female that come to our community events," said Ana Mendez, with Metropolitan Ministries. "Today we see a lot of families and we're happy to be able to help them today."
The Murrays said it's more than the food they're thankful for this Easter. It's the help they've received from strangers and they're truly thankful that their family can remain together.
"Like a lot of people say the situation you're in, why are you're still smiling," Natasha Murray said. "It's my heart. It's my heart."
Metropolitan Ministries is used to to helping families like the Murrays. They get donations from the community in order to provide that assistance.
But as the need increases administrators said the donations are decreasing and during these hard economic times they're trying to find ways to adjust.
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