WATCH: In the past week the Nanaimo food bank has been hit by thieves three times. They have been stealing fuel from the food bank’s vehicles and leaving the charity unable to pick up or deliver food. But as Kendall Hanson reports one member of the community has decided to help the food bank out.
It’s been a tough time at the Nanaimo food bank.
“It’s really disheartening and it takes us away from the work that we want to do which is feeding people,” said Peter Sinclair, the Loaves & Fishes Food Bank Executive Director. “So it’s a blow.”
Thieves have walked away with batteries and drained fuel from the food banks delivery trucks.
“Four separate thefts of batteries and at least three thefts of gasoline so we’ve definitely seen an uptick in that sort of activity,” said Sinclair.
The crime spree is costing the charity several thousand dollars in repairs and security upgrades.
Last Tuesday two of its vehicle were hit.
After seeing the suspects take gas on their video surveillance The food bank’s Executive Director took the mini-van for a fill-up.
“Suddenly I start smelling gas and here on the ground there was just gas all over the place and I realize what’s happened. Someone’s cut the gas line,” said Sinclair.
But then Sinclair said his day took an unexpected turn.
“In between mopping up the fuel I just popped into the store and made out a gift card for a hundred dollars,” said Mid Island Coop employee Jennifer Wilson.
“I looked at it and said ‘Jenny, the coop doesn’t need to do that’ and she said ‘it’s not the coop it’s me’ and I was blown away,” said Sinclair.
Wilson said she wanted to help “Because they’ve helped me.”
Before getting her gas station job Wilson was out of work and going through a rough time. She turned to the food bank for help. Now she wanted to give back.
“It took one of the worst days of my professional life at the food bank and made it one of the best ones,” said Sinclair.
It’s a show of how one good action can result in another, and help erase the ugliness of the day.
Kendall Hanson
