Monday, September 10, 2012
The Carolina Panthers wide receiver washed feet and helped hand out 400 shoes and socks to homeless people living at Pinellas Safe Harbor.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Jared Leone
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Monday, September 10, 2012
Steve Smith caught seven passes for 106 yards and was the main highlight of a mostly stymied Carolina Panthers offense Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When the clock reached 0:00, Smith untied his cleats, placed them on the field, removed his socks and walked off. It wasn’t because of the loss, but rather to bring attention to Samaritan’s Feet, a charity with the goal to put shoes on the feet of the needy. Smith, with the help of some volunteers, washed feet and put new shoes and socks on 400 homeless people at the Pinellas Safe Harbor shelter Saturday afternoon. Smith is doing this in every NFL city where the Panthers play this season. The foot washing and shoe giveaway in Clearwater was the first. The shelter serves several …
Monday, December 27, 2010
Downtown St. Petersburg parks are typically populated with homeless people. But not today. With daytime temps in the 50s and a drop to the mid-20s tonight, people are seeking indoor shelters.
ST PETERSBURG - Homeless people often congregate in Williams Park downtown. The city's first established park is closed to a lot of city services, and charities often deliver street-level services and food to people who spend the day or evening there. On Monday, Dec. 27, the park was nearly empty as daytime temperatures dipped to the 50s and strong winds made it feel even colder. The National Weather Service is reporting that temperatures are averaging 7 to 11 degrees below normal in the Tampa Bay region for December. With temperatures dropping into the 20s tonight, Pinellas County opened its cold weather shelters to homeless people and are asking families with children to head to designated motels. St. Petersburg families with children …
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Here's a look at the $1.84 million proposed budget for the Pinellas Safe Harbor Shelter, which will be funded by federal grants and support from local and county governments.
The annual cost to run the new Pinellas County Safe Harbor will top $1.84 million, with more than half the funds from federal grants. The rest of the costs may be covered by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, city of St. Petersburg and other municipal partners. The shelter is slated to open Jan. 1, 2011, to provide much-needed shelter space for homeless adults. St. Petersburg officials already have pledged one full-time police officer to work at the shelter, and the City Council is expected to vote on an unspecified amount of funding. The city has a keen interest in the 500-bed facility, since it accounts for up to 50 percent of the county's homeless population. When Pinellas Safe Harbor opens, it will be the largest homeless shelter in…
Thursday, December 2, 2010
On Friday, a delegation from the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless will tour the former bus depot in Clearwater, which is being rehabbed as a massive shelter for adults.
His eye bruised and body shaking, Raymond Johnson spent Thanksgiving eve sleeping on the streets, after he and his girlfriend lost their St. Petersburg apartment. Johnson said they had no choice but to spend the night in a park near the Salvador Dali Museum, because local homeless shelters were full. "We can't get in there. I need a bath. I need help getting back on my feet," said Johnson, who sat on a blanket in Williams Park Thanksgiving morning. Added Jane Thompson, his girlfriend: "Someone beat him up last night. It's scary out here." The couple, both in their 50s, said they would welcome the opening of a 500-bed shelter that Mayor Bill Foster is advocating as a way to put an end to the numbers of homeless people sleeping in parks, …
cherylwithac
10:55 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
What a wonderful story, and thank goodness for people like Steve Smith. more ›