Grapevine Non-Profit, Used To Giving Help Now Needs Help
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GRAPEVINE (CBSDFW.COM) – Grapevine Relief And Community Exchange – provides a range of help to families in the Grapevine, Colleyville and South Lake area.
The help can be from GRACE's food pantry, transitional housing, counseling, employment training and household items.
In the community for 28 years, the non-profit provides for about 5,000 people a year.
Thursday night, someone broke into the property, and lit a fire. Flames torched several storage buildings and damaged a shipping container and the warehouse doors.
Grapevine Police Department arrested 21-year-old Zach Benali on Friday night for arson.
Thousands of donations were burned or damaged beyond use.
"My head is still reeling. I'm not exactly sure what we're looking at for replacement of all of this," said Shonda Schaefer, Executive Director.
Donations of clothing, household items and appliances are taken at the Donation Station on N. Scribner Street, then sorted and given directly to families in outreach programs, or taken to the non-profit's store and sold.
Revenue from the store helps fund the organization's operations.
"The reality is this was different stuff, because this represented hope. This represented change and support for families who needed it," said Schaefer.
Investigators from the Grapevine Fire Department are calling this arson. Schaefer thinks it started in a pile of wood pallets.
While people have broken into the fence to steal from the donation pile before, she says no one has ever intentionally caused harm.
"It's so hard for me to put my head around anybody wanting to do this damage, knowing who we are and what we do," said Schaefer.
Fire investigators have received tips and are following up on leads, but as of Friday afternoon no arrests have been made.
For Jill Lee, a single mom living in transitional housing provided with the help of GRACE, the loss is hard to see.
She found assistance at GRACE that gave her confidence, and helped her gain employment and get back on her feet.
"It affects me like it's my family. GRACE has been my family," said Lee.
Many in the community are asking how they can help.
Donations of clothing and household items cannot be accepted at this time. But monetary gifts can be made online. http://www.gracegrapevine.org/
A volunteer cleanup will also take place this Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.
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