Loss of donor faith hurts ministry

Changes at Metropolitan Ministries cause backers to question its commitment.

By KATHRYN WEXLER

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 11, 2000

TAMPA -- Confirmation of the Rev. Morris Hintzman's worries came Thursday, when the October donations to Metropolitan Ministries were tallied.

The total was $341,000 -- 40 percent lower than projected, and prayed for.

Hintzman knew it wasn't a blip. Donors had suddenly become skeptical of the 28-year-old ministry. For six weeks, Hintzman had been bombarded with critical phone calls and letters.

One note in particular conveyed all the confusion, Hintzman said. It demanded to know why the ministry was sending out solicitations when it had abandoned the homeless.

"It hurts me," said Hintzman, president of the ministry, tears welling in his eyes as he sat in his simply appointed office.

"I've been here 18 years, I've never seen anything like it."

The outrage stemmed from changes the non-profit, non-denominational ministry put into effect Oct. 16. On that day, meals were no longer handed out to anyone who showed up at Metropolitan Ministries' shelter at 2002 N Florida Ave. Nor could street dwellers get beds whenever they wanted.

The changes signaled a dramatic shift in philosophy. Having always catered to emergency care, the ministry turned instead to transitional housing, offering a temporary residence and meals only to people willing to commit to long-term counseling, education and job training programs. The ministry has room for 218 people.

"It's not less," he said. "It's expanded (services)."

But the backlash has been bad, he said. What most donors didn't know is that the ministry still prepares free food twice a day, only it no longer serves the meals on-site, Hintzman said. The food is now delivered to Mission for Jesus, a small ministry on 16th Street near Columbus Drive, where volunteers serve it.

The reasons for moving the meals off the premises were many, Hintzman said. Homeless people live throughout the county, and drawing them to one location no longer made sense, he said. Also, it was better that long-term residents not be distracted by contact with those unwilling to get off the streets.

Offering emergency beds robbed homeless people of motivation to get off the streets, he said. Families are not turned away, even though the ministry is operating at full capacity, Hintzman said. If necessary, Metropolitan Ministries rents a hotel room until beds are available.

But the changes have been controversial. Since Metropolitan Ministries four years ago opened its shelter, called the Manna House, some nearby residents have complained bitterly about the large number of homeless people in the area.

Hintzman said he knows some people suspect the ministry is complying with an effort by Mayor Dick Greco to revitalize Tampa Heights by drawing homeless people from its facility to the College Hill area, where the food is now served.

That kind of implication is most upsetting, he said.

"We were riding along here jollily, planning to do bigger things, and all of a sudden the neighborhood says we've changed because of the mayor and the Super Bowl that's coming," Hintzman said.

"I mean, come on, do we not have credibility?" he said. "This had nothing to do with anybody else's design to move people out."

The ministry needs an extra $700,000 to run its new program next year. But at the moment, Thanksgiving is giving it the most concern. The public's new skepticism about the ministry's mission has meant that donations for the holiday are dribbling in, Hintzman said.

"Now there's a trust issue," he said.

Even among other homeless ministries, there is consternation.

"I'm having very little personal contact over there," said William Carey, director of food services for the nearby Salvation Army, which has seen the number of hungry people and those wanting shelter swell since Oct. 16.

About 520 now come for the Salvation Army's daily 4 p.m. meal, compared with 350 to 400 before the Manna House stopped serving outsiders, Carey said.

"When you come to my door and you need to eat, that's all I need to know," Carey said. "Our agenda is just to absorb whatever comes our way."

The Salvation Army's 105 emergency beds are more in demand, too. And officials there are bracing for the typical surge during cold-weather months.

At Abundant Life Ministry, a few blocks north of Metropolitan Ministries, about 20 percent more people are coming for food and asking to sleep on pews, said Pastor Ruth Beckmann.

"I have a concern about it," she said.

Others who waited in lines outside the Manna House for breakfast and lunch have found their way to Mission for Jesus. Said Melvin Hardrick, 38, partaking Friday afternoon in beef Stroganoff, "Most of the folks have moved in this direction, I think."

- Kathryn Wexler can be reached at (813) 226-3383 or wexler@sptimes.com.

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