When officials at Metropolitan Ministries checked Hillsborough County’s “Hunger Map,” they were amazed to find that the greatest area of unmet need was not in Ruskin or Wimauma, but in Sun City Center.
Sun City Center is one of the largest donor communities to the area’s food banks, including Metropolitan Ministries, said its media spokesman, Shawn LaFata.
“The Hunger Map showed us startling data for Sun City Center,” said Michael Kanter, manager of planned giving at Metropolitan. “We figure the need is greatest there because of the food banks serving other areas, like Balm and Wimauma, but there aren’t any in Sun City Center.”
For some time, Metropolitan Ministries has wanted a presence in South Hillsborough. It helps the homeless and hungry in four counties — Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk and Pasco — and served approximately 1.3 million meals in 2014.
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Sun City Center held a “box lunch” preparation project for Metropolitan several years ago and got to know officials there, said Sally McLeish, who is the chairwoman for missions at St. Andrew. So when Kanter saw the data from the county’s Hunger Map, he called St. Andrew’s pastor, Mark Salmon, who put the project [to help the hungry in SCC] in the hands of the Mission Committee.
“We met in April or May and decided it was definitely something we wanted to do,” said McLeish. “We are very committed to this. We’ll be starting with one meal a week, and hope to increase it as we see the need.”
Named for the church, the project has been called “Andy’s Kitchen.”
Plans are for the first free hot lunch to be served Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church, 1239 W. Del Webb Blvd. in Sun City Center.
Meals on Wheels has increased to $6 per meal, McLeish reported, and many people can’t afford it. “Some have been known to cut their meal in half so it goes for two days,” she added. “We have people who have to make the choice between expensive medicines and food.”
The way it will work is that Metropolitan Ministries will prepare meals at its Tampa site, and the mission committee (and volunteers) will pick up and deliver the meals to the church. Other local individuals and restaurants will be asked if they want to add things, like desserts. The meals will contain a vegetable, a protein and a carbohydrate.
McLeish said they plan to start with about 50 meals.
“We may overestimate, but it would be terrible if people showed up and didn’t get a meal,” she said.
But it isn’t all about meals, Kanter added.
“There’s a lot more to it than food,” he stated. “Many people are isolated a lot of the time, and this is a chance for hospitality and socialization as well as a meal. It’s not always about the tummy.”
Kanter said Metropolitan Ministries thinks of projects like this as a blank canvas.
“We provide a blank canvas to the mission committee and supply the food. They may add to it, or take a whole approach of their own at the site.”
He said, for example, he knew that particular congregation had a parish nurse. “Maybe they will have something along those lines during the meal. Once they get the food, it’s all their choice.”
Having the meals prepared at Metropolitan saves the church from the rigorous inspections and health department regulations that go with food preparation. Since Metropolitan already prepares food and is regularly inspected, both Metropolitan and St. Andrew workers and volunteers say it’s a win-win situation.
McLeish said there would be no exchange of money at these meals. “There won’t even be a love offering basket out,” she said.
People who want to find out more about Metropolitan Ministries, which is based at 2002 N. Florida Ave. in Tampa, may visit www.metromin.org or call 813-209-1000.
Anyone who wishes to help with the mission project may contact Sally at sbmcleish@verizon.net.
