The Salvation Army of Tallahassee is asking for donations and patience after being left without a working cooler because their refrigeration system was destroyed.
According to Jeremy Bridges, community relations and volunteer coordination for the local Salvation Army, the morning of Sept. 24, Lt. Omar Lugo, a corps officer, had come into the office and was looking out the window when he noticed a copper pipe missing.
“He though it was very odd and he started asking around the office about it, if anybody had gone into the coolers to see how everything was,” Bridges said. “He went outside and saw there was all this damage done to these refrigeration units downstairs.”
Bridges said about 40 families come in once a week to receive a bag of groceries, which includes frozen meats. Now, the amount of food they can give out is now limited to nonperishable, shelf-stable items and whatever they can fit in a small donated cooler.
It’s not known when the refrigeration system will be back up and running; Bridges hopes it will be before the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday week.
Community reaching out through social media
The local branch has been in contact with area law enforcement since the incident. They determined that whoever dismantled the unit did so for the copper, taking what was inside the unit and the pipes.
The Salvation Army took to social media to share photos of the damage, which has prompted some support.
“I have heard that some people are making donations, I believe that some people have brought in some non-perishable goods, I don’t have a definite answer on how much,” Bridges said. “I was responding personally to the people on social media and letting them know” how to help.
How to help
Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Donations needed after Salvation Army cooler destroyed
Reporting by Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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