CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. β A Chester food pantry is asking for community help after a $10,000 donation check was stolen from the mail, leaving the organization uncertain about providing holiday meals to families in need.
Didi Gray, director of the Engage Food Pantry at Redemption Church, said the pantry serves up to 200 people every Thursday and every other Saturday. The organization was counting on the grant from the LB Charitable Foundation in Escondido, California, to fund holiday operations.
"They told us you should get the check between seven and 14 days. It was a holiday weekend, so we thought, 'Eh, there will be a small delay,'" Gray said.
But the check never arrived. Gray said she kept checking with the bank and calling the foundation for weeks.
"It wasn't until Thursday that they reached out to us and said, 'Hey, your check was cashed,'" Gray said. "And we were like, 'No, it couldn't have been, we never received it.' They gave us the name, and it was no one we knew. Apparently, they're thinking it was intercepted from the postal office before it hit us."
The Escondido Police Department confirmed that LB Charitable Foundation filed a police report on Oct. 28 for the stolen check. Chesterfield police also confirmed Friday afternoon that Engage Food Pantry filed a police report and that a detective is investigating the case.
Gray said she's not sure how long it could take to recover the stolen funds, if at all.
"At this point, we're in limbo," Gray said. "Which means we don't have money to do the holidays."
The pantry was hoping to provide 100 turkeys and 100 hams to families between Thanksgiving and Christmas, in addition to their regular weekly food distribution.
"With the check being stolen, now we're sort of in a quandary and we're asking for Thanksgiving donations. We're asking for turkeys if anyone wants to donate turkeys," Gray said. "If anyone wants to have a little bit of compassion for a small food pantry that feeds a whole lot of people."
Gray said the pantry's goal is simple: "We try to feed them hope one box at a time."
Aside from contributions from FeedMore and Food Lion, the pantry relies on community donations to operate.
Anyone with information about the stolen check is asked to call Chesterfield Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660.
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