CLEARWATER, Fla. — A local couple has teamed up with the Salvation Army to make a difference with the homeless population in the Tampa Bay area. They’re hoping this new idea and approach will catch on, to help even more people dealing with homelessness.

What You Need To Know

  • Alfred Andrews and his wife, Debbie, donated a van from their car dealership to the Salvation Army in Clearwater for its new Street Level Outreach Program

  • The Clearwater Salvation Army will work with local municipalities to identify areas in northern Pinellas County in need

  • The van is gassed up and ready to hit the road in October

If it can fit inside of their newly donated van, Alfred Andrews wants to make sure it ends up in the hands of the people who need it most.

“We’ve got supplies for the homeless. We’ve got towels, we’ve got socks. We’ve got shirts, we’ve got water, we’ve got literature, we’ve got toiletries, that we think that the homeless person would possibly need while they’re out there on the street,” Andrews said.

Andrews and his wife, Debbie, donated the van from their car dealership to the Salvation Army in Clearwater for its new Street Level Outreach Program. In a ceremony Tuesday, it was officially declared road ready. The Andrews say it is a dream come true.

“We just keep seeing it daily and so we wanted to try to help and do something about it. Thank God for the Salvation Army. They have the resources. We just needed the direction,” Andrews said.

The Clearwater Salvation Army will work with local municipalities to identify areas in northern Pinellas County in need. Then their volunteers will go to those areas and hand out some of the necessities they have stored on the truck.

“As this program goes forward we can build on it. We can expand on it. This is just a small little microcosm of what’s needed in the community,” Andrews said.

They hope others see these efforts and step up to help, too. In the meantime, the van is gassed up and ready to hit the road in October.