The Sources Food Bank in Langley, British Columbia has been serving the community since it took over operations from the Langley Food Bank in September this year.
Now they are asking the community for some much-needed help after a series of thefts hit the organization over a period of about three days. “It was triple whammy quite frankly. It was just one thing after another,” said director Denise Darrell, according to CBC.News.
Things started going downhill sometime late Wednesday or early Thursday morning last week when thieves broke into the food bank and made off with $1,000 in gift cards. Then, a couple days later, thieves struck again, taking the one-ton truck the food bank uses to pick up and deliver food.
The Huffington Post reported that Darrell said, “On Saturday a community member called in and said he saw our truck out in Aldergrove. It had been abandoned there.” To make matters worse, the truck was so damaged it can no longer be used to pick up or deliver food. A van used by the food bank recently broke down and had to be written off, so now, there are no vehicles.
Troubles sometimes come in threes, and on Monday, the adage came true when Sources Food Bank learned the thieves had racked up $1,300 in charges on the gas card left inside the van. “It’s hard not to take this personally… Potentially you’ve stolen from your neighbors and friends and maybe your relatives,” said Darrell.
The food bank now has to rent both a truck and a van and is appealing to the community for help with the costs and is asking for more donations. Police are investigating the incidents and have yet to say if they are related.
Sources, a low-barrier food bank, based out of South Surrey, and is recognized by the provincial and national associations of food banks. Sources is a non-profit group and has operated a food bank serving the South Surrey/White Rock area for over 30 years. A low-barrier food bank is one that only requires clients to provide a picture I.D. to show they live in the area.
