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Titus O’Neil, Will Packer help feed families at Metropolitan Ministries
A team of volunteers stepped into the kitchen at Metropolitan Ministries on Christmas Eve to prepare meals for families facing hard times. FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - A team of volunteers stepped into the kitchen at Metropolitan Ministries on Christmas Eve to prepare meals for families facing hard times.
Among the team of volunteers working side-by-side was WWE legend Titus O’Neil. The longtime local of Tampa shared why he routinely helps out around the holidays.
"I was one of those kids that was less fortunate. My mom had me at 12 years old," O’Neil said. "If it wasn’t for the generosity of other people, I would not be in a position that I’m in right now."
The backstory:
This marks O’Neil’s 10th Christmas volunteering at Metropolitan Ministries. This year, he invited his friend Will Packer, a Hollywood movie producer and St. Petersburg native.
Packer brought his wife and four kids.
"There is so much impact and joy that you get from giving," Packer said. "It far exceeds what you get from receiving."
Metropolitan Ministries executive director Sarah Combs says her staff and volunteers plan to serve 1,000 hot meals throughout three counties on Christmas Day.
"We’ll be serving in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco," Combs said. "Especially here on our Tampa campus, we’re going to be having an incredibly joyous celebration."
By the numbers:
Through its Holiday Tent Assistance Program, Metropolitan Ministries served 33,000 families this year. Organizers said the work is made possible through community donations and volunteers.
In the cafeteria, 100 families sat down to enjoy Christmas Eve meals together.
Among them was Charnella Walker, who has lived at Metropolitan Ministries since October with her two sons, one-year-old Azure and seven-year-old Darrell.
What they're saying:
Walker described what the community has provided her family.
"The alternate was being outside," Walker said. "I appreciate the safety, warmth and us being together."
This Christmas, Walker is also thankful for the opportunity to reset and focus on building a better future for her children.
"This gives us options to start over again," Walker concluded. "We don’t have to really rush and be stressed out all at once."
The Source: Information for this story came from Metropolitan Ministries statements, interviews with a Metropolitan Ministries resident and volunteers.