A New Jersey charity has received thousands of dollars worth of donations after hundreds of Christmas presents were stolen from a storage unit.
Volunteers from Wheels of Change told police the locks on a storage trailer parked in West Deptford were cut sometime around Nov. 20, but the theft wasn’t reported until last week. They also said 13 large contractor bags filled with toys were taken.
Founder Brenda Gonzalez told NBC 10 Philadelphia they noticed the locks were cut during a Thanksgiving food distribution event.
“The Grinch made its way to WOC,” a post on the organization’s Facebook page reads. “This past weekend we discovered someone broke into the storage unit and walked away with half the Christmas presents. Are we upset? Yes, we are but bigger blessings are on its way to WOC and the families this impacted.”
The toys had been purchased by the charity or donated and were meant to be given to needy families during the holidays.
While no arrests have been made and the investigation into the theft continues, Wheels of Change said it had received thousands of dollars and hundreds of toys in donations since.
“We want to extend our deepest gratitude to every single person who has donated, reached out, or lifted us up in prayer,” the nonprofit wrote on Facebook on Monday morning. “Your generosity and kindness mean the world to us.”
Wheels of Change said it would be providing “toys, coats, and all the essentials for” 628 kids and families on its list and might be able to add more after the outpouring of support from the community.
“No gift is too small,” a social media post by the group read. “Each one has changed children’s lives and restored the magic we’ve been missing for years.”
West Deptford is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia.