The Salvation Army shelter in Tampa is among the many across the Bay area without power, but help for the facility is on the way.
- Community rallying to help shelter continue operating
- Joe Maddon, restaurant partner donating meals
- Residents at shelter doing their best to stay positive
Most of the shelter's residents said the conditions, though hot and uncomfortable, were bearable, and were doing their best to keep a good attitude about the situation.
“There’s showers, there’s cold showers, you know,” said shelter resident, Daniel Alerio.
“We were really bad in the dark but they took care of us. All of us,” said resident Martha Rivera.
They may not have electricity, but help has come in many forms, such as a generator donated to run fans and turn on some of the lights.
“We’ve had very generous support from the community," Salvation Army Captain Andy Miller. "People have brought in generators for us and that’s given us some lights and some fans, but we’re still working through the heat and it’s harder for folks to kinda get back on their feet, and that’s what we do every day, help people get back on their feet and we don’t have power."
Word is getting out about the organization's current plight, however. For example, it got the attention of some familiar names in the restaurant business: Michael Stewart and former Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon.
“[Maddon] has a foundation called "Respect 90" and through his efforts he wanted to do something locally here in Tampa," said Stewart, who with Maddon owns Ava in South Tampa. "So he called me up -- we had no power -- and he’s like, "Michael can we get food to 150 people tomorrow?' And Joe’s the kinda guy you don’t say 'no' to, so I’m like, 'yes.'"
"And right after that the power comes on," Stewart continued. "I got my chef together with the kitchen and we made it happen.”
Stewart also owns Tampa's 717 South, and said they plan to donate more food to the shelter Friday night for dinner.