TAMPA, Fla. — A cold weather shelter in downtown Tampa opened its doors Thursday evening, providing a warm place to stay for up to 60 people experiencing homelessness on Thanksgiving night.
The Portico, located in downtown Tampa, began welcoming guests at 6 p.m. for what organizers say is their first year operating the cold-weather shelter independently of Hyde Park United Methodist Church.
"It means a lot to me to be a part of this community to help these people who are less fortunate than we are," said Doug Herbert, cold weather shelter leader. "Maybe we can give them a little bit of joy, sharing what we all have with others."
The shelter serves dinner to guests in the evening and provides lunch to-go for those who leave around 7 a.m. the next morning.
Herbert said the downtown location has proven more convenient for many of the people they serve. In the two previous times the shelter has opened, it reached maximum capacity.
Melanie Nachtagall, who works with the Portico and mentors people in the homeless community, said the work involves more than just providing a place to sleep.
"We all do it from our heart," Nachtagall said. "It's not just offering a place to sleep. It's more than that. We have talks with them, communication. I think that's very important for them too."
Christopher Long, who has stayed at the shelter before, said he was grateful for the opportunity to get proper sleep without being asked to move along by police in the early morning hours.
"Being in the city, I don't have a whole lot of places to go, and everybody's trying to run you off of the property, even when you're trying to stay and get sleep," Long said. "This is giving us a chance to actually get some sleep so we could actually do other stuff."
Long, who has been clean for seven years, said Nachtagall has become like family to him, providing guidance and support during difficult times.
"She's like a sister to me," Long said. "It's good to have somebody like that to fall back on."
The volunteers described the guests' response as overwhelmingly grateful, with many expressing their appreciation through hugs and thanks.
"They are so thankful for everything that we do," Nachtagall said. "In the morning, they are really just hugging you and thankful that they had an opportunity to stay the night here."
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