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Food Pantries Near Bare; Fewer Giving And More Taking

Tribune photo by JULIE BUSCH

George Hoock serves lunch to customer's at Trinity Cafe in the Salvation Army building in Tampa Tuesday.

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT

yhammett@tampatrib.com

Published: December 19, 2008

Updated: 12/19/2008 12:11 am

TAMPA - Some 200 families walked away from Metropolitan Ministries on Tuesday empty-handed and hungry.

The food pantry was almost bare; the toy chest, near empty.

Staff members urged the families to return later when there might be more to offer.

"We've never had to do that before. It's a first," said Ana Mendez, community relations manager for the Tampa charity that caters to the homeless.

"We're hoping that by getting the word out, we'll be able to meet the needs."

At the Emergency Care Help Organization in Brandon, former donors are showing up as clients.

"We are seeing a new type of client; at least one family a day who used to donate to us are now coming for help," said ECHO director Stacy Efaw. "If they're not losing their jobs, they are taking a pay cut or having their hours cut. We're extremely busy."

Most charitable organizations in the Tampa Bay area have similar woeful tales. Several have sent out more than one urgent plea for help as the holidays approach.

With fewer resources to donate this year, contributors are forced to make tighter choices on where to spend their few spare dollars.

"We want to get out there and say that even the smallest donations, at this point, can help," Efaw said.

Reporter Lenora Lake contributed to this report. Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 865-1566.

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