Those involved with the Gift of Love ministry at a Douglas County church are feeling thankful after tragedy struck recently.
Food donations poured in this week after word got out that someone broke into the church’s gym, started a fire and ruined donated food.
“We fed 2,000 kids this week,” said Brenda Kirk, director of the ministry at Lithia Springs Church of God.
Ministry workers had built up food meant for thousands of needy students during spring break. However, vandals hit the gym with gang graffiti, and they also mixed chemicals in a trash can to start the fire, a school district official said.
They even ate before dousing all the tables with food on them with the chemical mixture, school authorities said.
The fire, though contained by the church’s sprinkler system, destroyed enough food for 450 students to eat for nine days.
However, donations began coming in Tuesday, Kirk said, “and they get bigger every day.”
She said the lost food has been replenished.
“We thought the kids would have to go hungry,” Kirk said. “It’s amazing what God has done. He has replenished our cupboard.”
For more information about the ministry, call Kirk at (770) 672-4707.
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