Video obtained by ABC Fresno affiliate KFSN shows a thief brazenly stealing a security camera during a burglary at a West Central Fresno home. The home was filled with hundreds of toys intended for a Christmas giveaway to underprivileged children. “The kids, the families, who are disenfranchised and who are hurting, they’re impacted by this,” said Harvest of Harmony International Church pastor Kelvin Morgan.
Pastor Morgan discovered the theft on Saturday morning via Ring camera footage, showing two men loading $4,000 to $5,000 worth of toys into a truck. “I was heartbroken,” he said. “We have a lot of families that depend on us. They registered for these toys.” The church, which recently purchased the home, rarely leaves it unattended. The toys were meant for the 400 children registered for a Sunday giveaway. The theft occurred just as the church was striving to alleviate the burden on families facing economic hardship, including high food prices and shortages. “We see the need here in the community. We see the families struggling,” Kelvin explained.
Despite the setback, church leaders attempted to raise funds to replace the stolen toys on Saturday night, but fell short. However, an outpouring of community support followed. “We went to bed at 11 o’clock, and we go, ‘OK, God, it’s in your hands,'” said Pastor Ginger Morgan. “I woke up at 6 o’clock this morning…and someone called, ‘We have another donation…they’ll be at Central High School; we got another donation.'”
Thanks to this incredible generosity, Sunday’s event proceeded without a hitch at a local high school. The auditorium overflowed with families, and over 400 wide-eyed children eagerly chose from a vast array of toys, ranging from board games and LEGOs to dolls. The church also distributed meals, providing further relief to families in need. “It was like, bills or presents. bills or presents, but I made away got made away for me,” said Shaniqua Valentine, a mother attending the event.
While thieves stole the toys, they couldn’t steal the community’s hope and generosity. “This is their Christmas, and to give hope, what a joy, what a joy,” Ginger Morgan concluded.