This browser does not support the Video element.
Hurricane cleanup paused for Thanksgiving
FOX 13's Kylie Jones reports on St. Pete's Relief Market and Grille which was established to distribute donations and cook meals for Shore Acre residents displaced by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Neighbors in St. Pete are trying to bring the holiday spirit to their neighborhood as people recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The storms left behind life-altering damage in Shore Acres in St. Pete.
"My house is down to studs," said Matt Thorn, who lives in Shore Acres. "You can literally kind of see through it, almost all the way to the pool."
READ: Tourists should expect Pinellas County beaches to feel different this Thanksgiving after hurricanes
Thorn says he had 28 inches of water inside his home during Helene.
Despite losing his home, Thorn has been trying to help the rest of the community over the last two months.
He started the Relief Market and Grille to distribute essential items or donations and cook meals for other neighbors.
Relief Market and Grille in Matt Thorns front yard.
"I’m here pretty much from 8 a.m. until 9 or 10 p.m.," Thorn said.
Thorn says the relief site has continued to grow and become a gathering point for people in the neighborhood.
READ: Salvation Army Giving Tree spreading joy to children this Christmas
On Thanksgiving Day, Thorn cooked a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to make sure everyone had a place to eat.
Matt Thorn cooking for the Shore Acres community from his home.
"We don’t want the tragedy to be the forefront of the holidays this year," Thorn said.
Since Helene, he says they’ve cooked 23,000 meals for people.
"Cooking and being over the grill or making something, that’s my love language," Thorn said. "That’s my therapy."
READ: Tampa church giving away thousands of free turkeys to families in need ahead of Thanksgiving
The hurricane recovery and rebuild isn’t an overnight process.
After the large-scale assistance and outreach slow down, Thorn says he wants to remain a place where people can turn for help and support, especially during the holidays.
"To make sure that we are still kind of helping the community to move forward," Thorn said.
Turkey prepared by Matt Thorn for hurricane victims of Shore Acres community during Thanksgiving.
Thorn says he plans to continue giving out supplies and cooking meals, as many people in Shore Acres still live in garages, RVs, or tents outside their homes.
READ: Man known as a ‘loose cannon’ for homemade alcohol in Saudi Arabia opens Lakewood Ranch distillery
"We’re going to be here, and we’re going to be here for the long haul of it," Thorn said.
Thorn says they’re already planning several holiday events for the neighborhood through the end of the year.
This browser does not support the Video element.
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:
- Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV
- Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines
- Download the SkyTower Radar app
- Sign up for FOX 13’s daily newsletter