TAMPA, Fla. — Christmas is one of the busiest holidays for the nonprofit Metropolitan Ministries, especially with inflation and extreme cold weather impacting those with limited resources. 

On Christmas day at their kitchen, volunteers cooked up warm, hearty meals with baked ham, sweet potatoes and green bean casserole. 

All made with love to serve the homeless and needy families of Tampa Bay.

"Our mission is not possible without our volunteers and so it really does take a village and community to come together and provide hope to all the families in the Tampa Bay area," said Brensey Hurst, Associate Director of Marketing at Metropolitan Ministries. 

She says the holiday with inflation and unusually cold weather makes their work that much more meaningful. 

"Cold weather put a wrench in our efforts," she said.  "We then had shift to provide food for our partners who were opening up for cold weather shelters."

On Christmas, they wanted to offer families like the Jones's more.

Debbie Jones and her family received Christmas gifts from their wish list. The single mother connected with the nonprofit in September after her home of 12 years was put up for sale and forced her family out.

"A lot of people right now are experiencing a lot of economic changes," she said. 

Changes, she says, have been difficult for her young children to cope with. 

"(Metropolitan Ministries) really took us in and gave us a second home," said Jones, who has found a sense of normalcy after Metropolitan Ministries offered her shelter.

“It's almost like they've been my back bone. Especially after the holidays, I'm so appreciative,” she said. 

34,000 families will be helped through Metropolitan Ministries' holiday tents and services.