Hometown Hero: Volunteer gives help to those who've lost hope

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - Trenika Green has been given a second chance, thanks to the volunteers at the St. Petersburg Free Clinic.

"I really don't know where I would be if I wasn't here," said Trenika.

She has a place to live, food to eat and she’s going to college. She’s on the right track to a successful future. It's a huge difference from how she was living six months ago.

"I was homeless. I didn't know what I was going to do and everybody that was in my life, other than my family, was no good for me," explained Trenika.

Now she has people like Chris Agee, a longtime volunteer at the Free Clinic, to guide her and inspire her to make the right choices.

Chris has been volunteering since 1993 and spends Wednesday mornings in the food bank. Even after all these years, she is still surprised at the amount of need in her community. The St. Petersburg Free Clinic's food bank serves 40,000 people each month.

"It's an eye opener and very sad sometimes," said Chris.

But for every heartbreaking experience she hears, there's another story of hope and gratitude.

"I get many people who say ‘God bless you'. I get many people who thank me for listening to them. Often they are surprised with how much we want to help," said Chris.  

It's that thankfulness that has kept Chris coming back to volunteer every week for 23 years.

"Of course it's always a good feeling to be able to help someone else. And hope that help means something to them," said Chris.

According to Trenika, Chris' kindness doesn't just mean something to her, it means the world.

Click here for more information on services offered by the St. Petersburg Free Clinic.