Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® is collecting food to help stock Metropolitan Ministries' critically bare pantry shelves. Their most needed items are boxed cereal, stuffing and canned fruit.

Friday, November 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the folks at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey are offering people in the Bay area the opportunity to donate nonperishable food items in exchange for tickets to the all-new 139th Edition of The Greatest Show On Earth® in Tampa. A donation of 10 items entitles each consumer to one show ticket, with a limit of four tickets per family. Tickets are for the best seats available at any of the eight Tampa performances January 7-11, 2009 at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Metropolitan Ministries is a non-profit, nondenominational organization in Tampa that provides food and services for poor and homeless families. They serve more than 150 families a day, and right now their need for food donations is great.

The Ministries accepts nonperishable food donations including boxed cereal, stuffing, canned meat, fruit, cranberry sauce, gravy and vegetables.

Donations can be dropped of Friday, November 21, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ONLY, in front of the McDonald’s® Box Office at the St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa, 33602, phone: 813-301-6500.

Show times:

Wednesday, January 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, January 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, January 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, January 10 at 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 11 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Ticket prices: $85 (Circus Celebrity), $55 (Front Row), $35 (VIP), $25, $20, $15.