The mission of the Well is an attempt to live out Jesus’ prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We strive to meet the basic needs of our neighbors, both material and spiritual. We work to meet material needs such as food and clothing, and we do this in a way that provides opportunities to meet each other’s spiritual needs as well. By building relationships with people, we engage needs holistically. Loneliness and isolation, despair, doubt and other spiritual conditions are just as real as hunger, nakedness, and lack of shelter. We need friendship just as we need food, and The Well aims to work towards both.
The Well is a part of the Underground Network, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Underground as a community prioritizes the poor, the oppressed, and the neglected. Many individuals, families and micro churches in our city build relationships with people who need help with basic resources such as food and clothing. This can be an intimidating level of need to engage, and one can burn out quickly when trying to build relationships with the poor all alone. We are here both for our neighbors in need and our neighbors who are meeting the needs of others.
Address:
3023 N Florida Ave Tampa, FL 33604
Main Phone: (813) 248-3301
Website: www.TheWellYbor.org
Services & Information:[]
The Banquet | Thursday 6:00 pm On Thursday nights, we share a family-style meal called the Banquet at the Underground. Everyone is sitting around tables, set up like a restaurant, and the food is brought to the tables by servers. We use this night as a chance to also offer other resources such as mental health counseling, HIV testing, and materials to create art together after the meal. This meal is made possible by partnership with Metropolitan Ministries.
The Conscious Party | 1st Saturday 8:00 pm On the first Saturday night of each month, we host a meal, often catered by a local restaurant giving their best, along with an open mic night. This is a chance for anyone, regardless of their place in society, to have a place and to share something. Songs are sung, poetry is whispered or yelled at the crowd, and everyone is invited to contribute: college students, old folks, homeless guys and gals, adults, children, and you. So many of our neighbors do not have a voice, or their voice is disregarded. Their thoughts, opinions, and ways of expressing themselves are not always welcome, so we make a special place for just that. Everyone is welcome...seriously.
The Good Sam | Tuesday 6:00 pm (3302 N Florida Ave) On Tuesdays we go to where many of our neighbors are who could use a meal. The Good Samaritan Inn on Florida Ave is home to over 100 people, many of whom have become friends over a hot meal each week. This is their home, and we are their guests, relaxing in the lounge as we eat together, sharing in the trials and triumphs as stories are told. This meal is made possible by partnership with Metropolitan Ministries.
Free Market | Monday 10-2 | Tuesday 10-2 | Wednesday 10-2 | Thursday 10-2 | Friday 10-2
Throughout the week our doors are open for anyone who needs help with food, clothing, or toiletries. We partner with local businesses, individuals, and cooperatives to provide non-perishable groceries, fresh produce, and baked goods. These may be scratched or dented cans, overstocked items, or simply the fruits of generosity, offered up for whomever needs it. Each person is welcome to one bag (provided by the Well) of groceries with a limit of one bag per week.
Tampa Bay Counseling Center TBCC Counseling is a ministry offering mental health counseling and case management services to those that need it. Sometimes people living on the street develop serious mental conditions. This ministry benefits many people who need professional services, but don’t have the money for, knowledge of, or access to the resources they need. Services are provided regardless of the client’s ability to pay, and counselors seek funding from grants and other outside donors. TBCC Counseling meets with clients at the offices of the Underground Network in Ybor City. Counselors are also available during meal times at the Banquet, for free, for thirty-minute case management and assessment sessions. Counseling is offered free to all individuals, families, groups, and couples in the homeless community. Counselors have knowledge and experience working with addiction issues, PTSD, family counseling, couples counseling, depression, and anxiety and maintain appropriate licensing and liability insurance.