Tampa Bay Winner and Loser of the week

WINNER: Metropolitan Ministries.

With the holidays approaching, one of the area’s top charitable organizations opened its holiday donation drop-off tents. It estimates 33,000 families will turn to MM this season. The most-needed items include frozen turkeys, hams, cereal, yams, soup, gift cards and teen Christmas gifts.

LOSER: Eckerd Connects.

The troubled organization that provides foster and child services faces a criminal investigation for what Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri called “deplorable conditions” in how children are treated. The organization said it won’t renew its $80 million contract with the Florida Department of Children and Families. DCF wasn’t going to renew anyway.

– Joe Henderson, Extensive Enterprises Media