Church offers 'Blessing Box' after string of burglaries on campus

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - Instead of building up security, a Memphis church is taking a different approach to thieves continuing to break into their building.

Along busy Winchester Road in Hickory Hill sits a small box. You're supposed to take what you need or leave what you can.

Tuesday night, all that's left was a box of pasta,  a can of green beans, and tea. But, Monday it was full.

"No one should be hungry. No one should be hungry. So that's why we decided to do a little something and hopefully people can have their hunger satisfied," Derrick Marshall said.

"We had a lot of break ins into our youth campus behind us and they were stealing food," Apryl Marshall said.

Derrick and Apryl created a community pantry in response to break ins at the New Direction Youth Center. In each break in, only food was taken.

"Sometimes you think, how could they break into a church, sacred ground, God's house, but like I said, hunger is real," Derrick Marshall said.

With help from community partners, the Marshalls have done their best to keep this pantry stocked. But not long after they fill it, shelves are empty.

"It's really a community project so we really want the community, just regular people like me and my husband, to leave whatever they can any time," Apryl Marshall said.

The Marshalls fill up this box anytime they pass by and see it low, lining the shelves with things like diapers, food, and toiletries.

This is one of four boxes like this in Memphis; the other three are located in Binghamton.

To donate, you can click here or go to their GoFundMe page.

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