Safety Harbor Pulls Together To Help Save Tom The Can Man's Home

SAFETY HARBOR, FL — His name is Thomas Kostreba. But, in Safety Harbor where the 84-year-old Marine veteran has spent most of his life, he's known as Tom the Can Man.

Tom made his way from New Jersey to Safety Harbor in the early '70s, and has been a fixture in the community ever since.

Safety Harbor residents can set their watches by his schedule.

Every morning, he heads downtown with his walker and checks all the public trash receptacles along Main Street, collecting aluminum cans to recycle and earn a few bucks to supplement his meager Social Security check.

"I give the tabs to the Shriners, I donate the pennies I find to veterans, and I keep the cans for myself and recycle them," Tom said.

If it happens to be a Tuesday — trash day in Safety Harbor — he routinely moves all his neighbors' trash cans left by the side of the road back up to their houses.

He spends the remainder of his day picking up trash around the city, doing various chores for residents and business owners, and lending a helping hand whenever there's a need.

Then, at 5:30 p.m. every day, Tom the Can Man returns downtown to meet a couple of buddies and hang out on the benches in front of Brian's Barbershop on Main Street.

"He’s just a good guy," said Janet Hooper, one of Tom's neighbors and the executive director of the nonprofit Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center, which provides food, clothing and other assistance to residents in need. "He always helps clean up the city and is always doing little things for people. In this day and age, people just don’t do those little things for each other anymore."

He never bothers anyone or asks for anything in return, said Hooper.

"He just goes about his business, and everyone in town knows him," she said.

Like this article? Sign up for our newsletter and get it delivered every weekday. It's free!

At night, Tom returns to the circa 1950s home he's lived in most of his life. The home has no air-conditioning, no heating system and certainly no luxuries.

"But to him, it's home," Hooper said. "It's a roof over his head and a place to keep all the things that are important to him."

In the close-knit city, there aren't many secrets. So, word spread quickly three weeks ago when Tom received a citation from the city's code enforcement department for a leaky roof and rotting soffits on his home and for the accumulation of bags filled with aluminum cans and other throwaways Tom's collected and stowed in his yard.

"He's a Safety Harbor hero. So now, it's our turn to help Tom," said Jarine Dotson.

Dotson and fellow residents spent several days help Tom clean up his yard.

But when it comes to replacing his roof, soffits, the termite-damaged front porch and other structural problems with the house, Tom's going to need the help of a professional contractor, Hooper said.

"Tom's afraid he'll lose his home, the place that's most familiar to him, where he feels comfortable," said Hooper. "And, frankly, at this point, we don't know yet if the house is salvageable. We really need the assistance of a contractor to do an assessment."

Whatever the verdict, Hooper said it's clear the Safety Harbor senior is going to need a lot of help.

Tom only served in the Marines from 1956 to 1960 and wasn't disabled, so he receives no veterans disability payments. And since he worked for his family's business, which didn't pay into Social Security, his Social Security benefits are minimal.

"There's no way he can afford the cost of a new roof and all the other repairs," Hooper said.

This year, the city of Safety Harbor gave the Mattie Williams Center $15,000 to help residents with minor repairs.

"But there's no city program for replacing a roof," Hooper said.

She's awaiting word from the Florida Dream Center about getting a grant to help Tom. The nonprofit Pinellas County center has an “aging in place” program to help seniors with home safety and maintenance issues, so they can remain in their homes.

Additionally, resident Shelly Schellenberg has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to repair Tom's home. To date, residents have donated $5,585. But Hooper expects the cost of the needed repairs to be more than $15,000.

"People have really stepped up," Hooper said. "They want to help, and we're turning over every stone to come up with the money for the new roof and other repairs."

Any licensed contractor willing to provide an assessment on the cost of the repairs needed is asked to contact Hooper at 727-791-8255.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.