TAMPA — When Beth Ross received an unexpected $100 in late 2014, she decided she wanted to use the money to help others.
Ross volunteers at Trinity Cafe, which serves meals to the homeless and those in need. She said she told longtime friend and the cafe’s program manager Cindy Davis, “I’m going to buy you some blankets. I’ll get you 300 of them.”
Ross and husband, Ray, started telling others about their plan and created a Facebook page called Blanket Tampa Bay.
“They started coming in from Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia,” she said. “We ended up with 308 … and ended up having to rent a truck,” to get them to Trinity Cafe for distribution on Christmas Eve.
“It was just so cool; it was the most touching thing I’ve ever done,” Beth Ross said.
Now the couple is busy collecting blankets for the second year of distribution — set for Dec. 24 at Trinity Cafe. They hope to have at least 350 blankets this year to give to the homeless.
“Our guests were very grateful to receive the blankets last year and many have asked if we will be giving them out again,” said Davis. “I appreciate Beth Ross taking on this project for a second year.
“Giving a blanket to someone who has none will help keep them warm and comfortable during cold nights.
“The homeless are often ignored by others and simple gestures like this remind them of the kindness and care that exists in our community.”
Ross said they are asking for new or gently used blankets and have already secured about 175 of them with churches and other organizations collection.
In addition, she said a donor knitted 25 mufflers that will be distributed.
Ross said the project has grown so much that she plans in 2016 to file paperwork to make Blanket Tampa Bay a nonprofit, 501c3 organization.
Phone:
(813)
501-7657
Email: