ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The storms may have passed for now, but the need still remains for areas hit hard by our two back-to-back hurricanes.
On Saturday in South St. Petersburg, churches stepped up to fill that need and just by word of mouth, hundreds of people got extra help.
If a church's mission is to serve, then it was mission accomplished Saturday at Bethel Metropolitan Baptist Church on 26th Avenue South.
“We have pampers, we have water,” says volunteer Sharon Walters. “It's a wonderful blessing. Even in the midst of the storm, God is still good.
When we last spoke with the church’s pastor, Robert Vinson, he was about to evacuate ahead of Milton from his home that was nearly destroyed by Helene.
“My faith says that I walk by faith and not by sight,” he said at the time.
He's still away and couldn't see the turnout around the block that underscores the demand but other churches, World Central Kitchen, the city, and relief aid from World Vision all came together to make the pastor's vision real.
“He's probably in the best place for his situation,” says pastor John A. Evans, who leads Friendship Missionary Baptist Church a few blocks away. “Thanks be unto God, we have several servants who are making sure that this operation goes 100 percent.”
That includes filling up Myranda Graham's car with food and supplies.
“I live in the Childs Park neighborhood, grew up in that neighborhood,” she says while waiting in line in her car. At night it reminds me of The Purge. It's dark and it's dreary.”
While she and so many wait for the power and water to be back online, she says the neighborhood has come together.
“Trying to feed each other,” she says. We're cooking on grills, propane tanks, doing the best we can, just trying to help the neighbors in need.”
The size of this operation grew with help from World Vision, a Christian charity that gets donations from large corporations.
“Working in these neighborhoods, we know that we're reaching people that really need it,” says its national director for domestic disaster affairs, Mike Bassett. “We look for places that aren't being served.”
Pastor Vinson says they'll be out serving again Sunday at 10 a.m. and hope to hand out over 500 more meals and remaining supplies. They plan to do it again next weekend as well.
Bethel Metropolitan Baptist Church is located at 3455 26th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33711.