TAMPA, Fla. — Nearly 1,000 families in need were given a free Thanksgiving meal, thanks to the generosity of one Tampa Bay Buccaneers player.
Families had no idea that they were going to be receiving a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. Middleton High School is usually where Feeding Tampa Bay holds a weekly food distribution. On Wednesday, families went home with more than they expected.
Buccaneers defensive lineman William Gholston teamed up with Feeding Tampa Bay for a Thanksgiving meal giveaway.
Gholston distributed 920 full Thanksgiving dinners to hungry families. These families depend on getting free groceries every week from the Feeding Tampa Bay food pantry. Now, they will be able to have a hot meal on the table on Thanksgiving Day, thanks to Gholston.
"Everything is costing a lot more, so to be able to take this type of stress off of somebody, they don't have to worry about it,” said Gholston. “They come out. They're already coming for the pantry, so this is just another thing they can mark off of their list that they don't have to spend their money on.”
Some of Gholston's defensive line teammates were there helping to hand out food.
"In my opinion, the best thing you can give is time. Sometimes finances are needed, but if you can give your time, give your joy, you rub off on somebody else. They absorb your energy, you absorb their energy, and it's all positivity,” Gholston said.
The car line wrapped around the building and into the street. Feeding Tampa Bay told ABC Action News the need has doubled because families simply can’t afford groceries.
Thanksgiving meals were also distributed at Hillsborough Community College. This is the second year Gholston has hosted a Thanksgiving meal distribution in Tampa.
