TAMPA, Fla. — Toni Wofford didn't set out to help someone in need last week but as life would have it, there she was and there he was.
Wofford was running errands in a Tampa shopping plaza and just as she was leaving, her plans changed. A man waved at her and asked if he could get a few bucks to buy some food from a dollar store.
Woffard gave him $10 and the man, who identified himself as John, was on his way.
Wofford decided to park and started chasing after John. She just felt compelled to buy him some groceries.
After it was all said and done, Wofford shared her experience in a Facebook post that has since gone viral saying, "I spent 20 minutes and $46 and you would’ve thought John won the lottery. He was overwhelmed with gratitude and kept saying how blessed he was."
The response to Wofford's post has been overwhelmingly positive but her experience is indicative of a growing problem amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Tampa Bay nonprofits that help poor and homeless families and individuals are in urgent need of volunteers and donations.
The pandemic has devastated their efforts as people, often retirement age, pull back on their normal volunteer efforts. At the same time, the need has grown exponentially.
Justine Burke, the Vice President of Marketing with Metropolitan Ministries said people who used to volunteer and donate are now in the food line. She's never seen the car line for food like the way it has for the last 26 weeks since the pandemic hit.
Metropolitan Ministries has distributed nearly 41,000 emergency nonperishable food boxes to Tampa Bay families in need since March. That’s an average of 1,500 boxes per week. In addition, they've paid $1.5 million directly to landlords for rent and utility companies to help keep people in their homes so far.
There are currently 178 open volunteer shifts they urgently need filled. The organization is following CDC guidelines including mandatory temperature checks and face masks.
Staff is also preparing for what they're expecting to be the largest holiday assistance in their history - as many as 40,000 families in need. For perspective, they served 26,000 families in 2019.
How you can help:
- Volunteers urgently needed to build food boxes in our warehouse. Metropolitan Ministries says it is following CDC guidelines
- Conduct food drives and also virtual food drives
- Amazon Smile, Amazon wish list and deliveries, other turn key options
- Donate food and toys
- Monetary donations
Register to volunteer at Metropolitan Ministries online here.
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