5 Year Metro Anniversary Reflection

Today (12/20) is my 5 year anniversary serving as the Director of Volunteers & Events, at Metropolitan Ministries! I distinctly remember this day 5 years ago, walking around the holiday tent wide-eyed, nervous and excited about what possibilities were ahead of me. I was looking for a place to serve people in need and make a real difference in their life, growing my skills & leadership abilities and become more connected in Tampa Bay. And well, Metro has delivered that and more! Everyday we are witness to lives being transformed, women being empowered, children being restored and people finding hope. I have been privileged to serve with celebrities, athletes, CEOs and community leaders. It's been a whirlwind to say the least. For me, the times that continue to be the most fulfilling are found at Metropolitan Ministries in Pasco County. This picture is one of the highlights of my time at Metro that happened this month.

Metro was honored at a Pasco County Commissioners meeting for the work I led in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. We spent 10 days distributing thousands of donated food, water, clothes, cleaning supplies, etc to community partners throughout Pasco County. The more accurate picture of this would be me sitting on a pallet of water in the abandoned Target in Trinity with two cell phones going, coordinating deliveries from out of state and scheduling deliveries with our amazing community partners throughout Pasco County. And TONS of Pasco county citizens and Gov't staff volunteering all over the place accepting donations, receipting and recording them, driving trucks all over the county and asking us for partners in new locations of need as it progressed.

It was so rewarding to have been thrust into this very unknown situation (I have never done relief work like this before but transferable skills all day long) and simply be my very organized & relational self, calling on those people who I have grown up with or who were brand new to me and help add to the strong, caring community we already are in Pasco.

When we opened up our distribution relief site at Metro Pasco I didn't really know what to expect but in my gut I knew there where LOTS of hurting people who needed our help and I was just praying that they would come. And they did. . . more than 1000 families were helped that week between all of our sites. Stories that break your heart and lift you up at the same time. Neighbors helping neighbors, county gov't working alongside private partners and citizens compassionately serving. There's nothing better!

I was SO moved by the sweet Grandmother who took her children and grandchildren in because their home was flooded and she didn't want one of everything we had, she only asked for exactly what she needed . . . all things for her grand babies, nothing for herself. Or the man that my mom assisted who had never received help before and really didn't want to come but he had no other option, he was without power and water and all his food had spoiled. He is a First Responder who left his own home to help others for the 5 days before Irma and came home to a mess and no relief in sight, until he heard about us.

I could literally go on and maybe one day will - the stories and miracles from this are endless.

Gratitude. I'm filled with gratitude to have a career that is so fulfilling. That doesn't even seem to describe it enough. I'm grateful for the amazing people in Pasco who work with me and I look forward to hopefully doing more and helping to expand our reach throughout Pasco County. This experience was eye-opening for me and I hope it becomes a catalyst for Pasco county non-profit partners, gov't, businesses, schools, everyone to see that if we can coordinate our efforts more and collaborate more, we can do great things that help our hurting neighbors.