Just before the start of the holidays, HUD staff heard a plea on the local cable news station from residents of Norton Apartments in Clearwater, Florida. The food pantry set up to help these low-income families was empty and desperately needed donations. Recognizing the complex as a HUD-subsidized, privately-owned multi-family development, within 24 hours the staff of the Tampa Field Office organized a food drive and began shopping.

HUD staff members Maryann Conley, Cynthia Falck, Mary Tisch, Andrew Madison, Jr. and Marcel Charpentier delivered food donated by the Tampa Field Office to Norton Apartment residents in Clearwater. "Ms. Sue" is third from the left.

A day later, "Ms Sue," the food pantry's organizer* got a telephone call with the news that a HUD team was going to bring food for the development's families and elderly residents. Ms Sue expressed her deep appreciation and said she never realized that HUD workers in Tampa would care so much about poor families that they would come to Clearwater to help feed them. She also said that with so many folks needing help this year, she did not know what the residents would do - until she heard from HUD. Within a week of the local cable news story, representatives from the Tampa Office filled a van with donations and delivered them to the Norton Apartments' residents. The quick and compassionate actions of these dedicated federal employees helped to ensure that every family in this low-income development had something special to enjoy and celebrate over the holidays.

*{NOTE: "Ms. Sue," as she is affectionately called by her neighbors, started Norton Apartments' food pantry program several years ago when she realized many other tenants needed help. Every week she collects donations and distributes them to residents in need. Delivery was no small task for Ms. Sue, especially at first. She has used a cane to help her walk for several years, but finally enlisted the help of local children to help deliver the food. Because of her initiative, in the year 2000 Ms. Sue was named one of 12 heroes of Tampa Bay by a local television station.}