Titans players, employees help feed homeless
Several buses left the
facility and headed in the direction of LP Field on Tuesday night — but that wasn't their destination on this night.
Instead, they stopped under the Jefferson Street Bridge to help feed the homeless.
In the process, they seemed to brighten the day of the roughly 800 homeless people who turned out for the event in coats and stockingcaps. Roughly 150 members of the Titans organization took part in the event, from members of the front office to players, including wives and children of those with the team. The Titans cheerleaders were also on hand.
Each Tuesday, the homeless gather under the bridge for a meal. This time, they were surprised when the Titans showed up.
"It has been unbelievable joy. You can see it in their faces,'' said Blake Parks, COO of The Bridge Ministry. "I can't tell you how appreciative everyone is — the Titans are doing a good thing for the community."
Members of the organization lined up and served the Thanksgiving meal. They handed out groceries at the end of the night. Titans safety George Wilson addressed them all, thanking them for their support of the team. He received a loud ovation.
Another big cheer came when Titans CEO Tommy Smith and the ownership family presented a check to The Bridge Foundation for $25,000.
"I am honored to be a part of this,'' Smith said. "I'd like to do this annually. It's important to be a part of things like this. It means a lot to me. You can't do enough to help these folks, this time a year or for that matter, year-round.
"You are going to see the Titans much more involved in the community and supporting these types of organizations."
Smith praised Titans Community Relations Director Tina Tuggle for putting the event together while working with the Second Harvest Food Bank. Initially, Tuggle expected roughly 60 or so members of the organization to attend. She was blown away by the turnout.
"It was shocking when I saw them show up,'' said Clifton Booker, 31. Booker, who was wearing a Ben Troupe jersey, has lived on the streets of Nashville the past several years. "This made my night. It was really cool."
Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey said the players "love to give back."
"For me personally, growing up I was one of the people that needed help. I wasn't exactly in the shoes of these people, but I know where they are coming from as far as needing help,'' Casey said. "I lived on a fixed income, my mom worked two jobs. She had to struggle to make sure we could have food on the table for us. So I know what they are going through. I wanted to show my support."
Players said they received countless well-wishes as they distributed meals and clothing while interacting with the crowd.
Along with a few tips.
"It's great to see the smiles on their faces. This is great,'' safety Michael Griffin said, before adding with a smile: "But they are also criticizing us on why we keep losing. They want to know what's wrong with us."
Reach Jim Wyatt at 615-259-8015 and on Twitter @jwyattsports