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Goodness gracious, that's clever

How to help the homeless: Dish out soup, cut a check. Or cook up an extremely healthy idea.

By SHERRI DAY
Published August 19, 2005

Take broccoli, carrots, flax seeds, apples and spelt grain. Add sweet potato, cinnamon, bananas, honey and oats. Bake. Then slather on a soy nut frosting. Sprinkle with coconut and walnuts, and a Myrna Bar is born.

Fitness buff Myrna Haag began making the cakelike bars three years ago as a way to get her kids to eat more fiber and Omega-3 healthy fats. Since then, the bars have become a fundraiser for Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa Heights.

For the past three months, Haag has spent Tuesdays and Thursdays in the agency's kitchen making the bars and selling them around the city.

"The reason I do a lot of this is because I'm very passionate about helping people become healthy," said Haag, a 46-year-old triathlete and personal trainer. "That's sort of my calling."

She stumbled upon the mission. In December 2002, Haag agreed to donate her children's treats for a YMCA fundraiser. Orders came in by the dozens. Haag soon began selling the bars to clients and at bay area YMCAs.

The project eventually grew too large to run from Haag's Beach Park kitchen. In April, she approached Metropolitan Ministries with a proposal. In exchange for use of its commercial kitchen and the help of volunteers, Haag would provide her expertise and time at no charge. The agency would also keep all the profits from sales.

"Because part of our mission is feeding people, it fits really well with what we do," said spokeswoman Tracy B. Clouser. "Really, we're looking at it as more of a social entrepreneurship program that will provide money to put back into the program."

The effort also gives the agency's residents an opportunity to develop their culinary skills.

"I'm into natural and organic so it's exciting," said resident Jovonna Helwick.

The agency sells the 2-by-2-inch bars for $1.50 each to Haag's clients, friends, local YMCAs and Xtreme Juice at Swann Avenue and Dale Mabry Highway. The stores set their own sales price, Haag said.

Patrons can also buy the bars at Metropolitan Ministries.

So far, they have sold 3,600 bars and earned about $1,000, Clouser said. The proceeds support Metropolitan Ministries' programs, which provide meals and lodging for the homeless.

Members of the nonprofit group would like to ramp up production and sell at least 2,000 bars a week. By fall, they plan to start advertising.

But to reach their goal, they will need more buyers and volunteers.

"I just got blessed with the idea to put it all together," said Haag, who is also working on a recipe book and natural skin care line. "But it's still the community that is going to make it work."

To find out more about Myrna Bars or to volunteer, call Metropolitan Ministries at 209-1000.

Sherri Day can be reached at 226-3405 or sday@sptimes.com

[Last modified August 18, 2005, 11:46:08]