TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – It’s Thanksgiving and Metropolitan Ministries is gearing up to cook up 6,000 hot meals for families in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties.
Here’s the whopping amount of food being prepared:
- 1,500 lbs. of turkey
- 1,200 lbs. of stuffing
- 1,200 lbs. of mashed potatoes
- 80 gallons of gravy
- 1,300 lbs. of vegetables
- 1,000 pies
Throughout the holiday season, Metropolitan Ministries will provide more than 268,000 meals through its food boxes, partner sites, holiday tents and outreach centers.
“Just the fact that I got all these people, and they’re counting on Metropolitan Ministries and what we do, it makes us feel very comfortable,” said executive chef Luis Soto.
Soto has manned the kitchen on Thanksgiving for a decade, he said.
He’s helped by dozens of volunteers. This year, WWE superstar Titus O’Neil paid a visit and understands the importance.
“Well, I was one of those families in need for many years,” he said. “My mom worked two jobs to try to make ends meet, and a lot of times they didn’t meet. If it wasn’t for the generosity of others we wouldn’t have had a great Thanksgiving season of Christmas season.”
Thanksgiving meals will be served at the First Presbyterian Church on East Zack Street in Tampa from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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