Metropolitan Ministries Briefly Suspends COVID-19 Financial Aid

Metropolitan Ministries is temporarily suspending financial aid for seven days while the non-profit processes current aid requests due to unprecedented need. They have received 1,703 requests for financial assistance and 75% of those requests are for rental assistance. 25% of the requests are for utility assistance. Financial aid requests will resume on April 15th.

450 of financial aid requests have not yet been acted upon as demand outweighs staff capacity. The staff that handles the requests are 36 individuals who are currently working at 6 times their normal caseloads, according to Metropolitan Ministries.

Florida's jobless rate soared recently as COVID-19 impacted the U.S. economy and shut down many sectors of the state. Nearly 227,000 filed unemployment claims last week and many more are still unable to get through to the state's faulty unemployment website.

Metropolitan Ministries says it will need $1.5 million to fulfill these financial assistance requests for one month. Donations are requested of those who can help.

The non-profit will continue their normal work and serve 3,000 meals a day, shelter and care for 140 families and over 300 children, and case-manage 150 at-risk families in the community. Additionally, Metropolitan Ministries has placed 30 families with children living on the streets safely in motels, while also providing them with meals and other resources.

The organization is providing emergency food boxes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday while supplies last. Meals to-go are still being provided through meal site partner locations. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Metropolitan Ministries will mobilize and take food into the communities with the most urgent need.

To find out more and donate to these efforts visit Metropolitan Ministries at www.metromin.org.

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