TAMPA, Fla. — With many people still without electricity after Hurricane Milton, the need to provide food to families in the Tampa Bay area is even greater. Many people lost all of the food they had in their refrigerators.
“Well, yesterday and today they made 2,000 meals and we ran out,” said Johnathan Fornaris with the University Area Community Development Corporation.
It was 11:55 a.m., and residents of the University Area of Tampa were lining up at Harvest Hope Park to get a free hot meal.
“So, today – as the organization’s name, Operation BBQ, they have barbeque pork, barbeque beef, they have mixed vegetables, bread, and from what I see in there, they also have some breakfast items, if they need it as well,” said Fornaris. “So, it’s looking pretty good. I wouldn’t complain if I had it myself!”
The University Area Community Development Corporation and Operation BBQ Relief teamed up to provide this working-class community with food and water. They depend on volunteers like 15-year-old Jayshawn Copeland to make this a reality.
“My family was getting food, so, I joined in and started helping them. Not any specific reason, I just like to help out, especially on days like this. My power just came on, so, I understand people that are still going through this,” said Copeland.
The team had just learned that many residents at a local apartment complex had lost everything and that assistance was crucial.
“So, we’re going to go over to Cinnamon Cove which is kind of ground zero is what they’re calling it. We’re going to be distributing water and food, ready-to-eat meals. So, me and my team are headed over real soon,” said Julian Gines with the University Area Community Development Corporation.
We jumped in the truck and started our 10-minute trip to this community. As we pulled into the Cinnamon Cove Apartment Complex, you could see the devastation and just how much people in this area lost.
“There’s just junk along that whole street once you walk over there,” said Gines. “You’ll see stuff that needs to get picked up because they lost all of their belongings. So, right now, we’re just trying to remedy them with the day-to-day water, food until we can get some of the assistance we need.”
Scattered around this apartment complex, you can see just how much people have lost as they begin to pick up the pieces of what’s salvageable. “Whoever needs anything. We got it and we’ll get rid of this stuff in no time,” said Gines to his team unloading the truck full of food. It took no time for residents to form a line for much-needed resources.
If you live in the University Area and could really use a hot meal, they will be at Harvest Hope Park every day this week until Friday from 12:00 to 2:00 P.M.
A South Tampa man turned to Susan Solves It after he said ADT told him he had to keep paying for a security system at his Hurricane Helene-damaged home, even though the system was so new that he never had a day of service.
