Food pantry asks for public’s help replacing stolen van

By John Krinjak

Email: jkrinjak@abc6.com

Twitter: @johnkrinjakABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — About a month ago, employees at the Mary House food pantry and meal kitchen showed up to find their cargo van had been stolen out of the St. Patrick’s Church parking lot on Smith Street.

When police found it a couple weeks later, outreach workers’ relief quickly turned to despair.

"It was found abandoned. So we had been hoping that when it was recovered that we would be able to use it again, but it’s total loss, we can’t drive it. We have to get a new one," said Marilyn Batista, outreach coordinator for St. Patrick’s Church.

Since then they’ve been struggling to keep things running, relying on volunteer drivers and the generosity of those donating food, toiletries and other supplies, to drop off the items themselves.

"It’s made things really difficult because the van was really useful in helping us pick up all the donations that come in for Thanksgiving and Christmas," said Batista.

Every Christmas, Mary House distributes toys donated by local businesses, but it needs the van to pick them all up.

So they’re hoping the public will come through with some Yuletide cheer, and help them get a new one..

"I’ve seen when bad things happen good always comes out of it," said Batista. "I have a lot of faith that the community will come together, and we’ll get these toys to the kids who need it."

If you’d like to donate, Mary House has set up a YouCaring page.

Meanwhile police are still investigating the theft but so far no arrests have been made.

St. Patrick’s is now looking into installing security cameras.

© WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017