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PEACHTREECITY, Ga. - Providing Christmas toys to needy children is a full-time job, year-round, for an Atlanta charity. When a donation jar was stolen from a Peachtree City convenience store at a time when every little bit of money helps, this hurts.
“Just to remember that every little bit does add up. And even though this was one collection canister, that one collection canister could have provided holiday gifts for at least 20 or 30 children,” said Manda Hunt, Executive Director of The Empty Stocking Fund.
The heartless act was captured on store surveillance video. Police said it showed a man at the counter quickly take the donation jar and place it at his feet while the clerk was not looking.
The Empty Stocking Fund is an 89-year-old Atlanta charity that provides toys to around 50,000 children each year.
“It always hurts when I hear about things like this. I choose to believe that the person was in very desperate need to have to do this, and that helps a little bit. They weren’t stealing from the station. They weren’t stealing even from the Empty Stocking Fund. These people took from the children of Atlanta who need that money to buy gifts,” Hunt said.
Police said the video later showed the man pick up the can and stuff it into his back pocket.
Collection canisters are just one way the nearly 90-year- old Atlanta charity accepts donation. You can learn more about this on Facebook.
The good news is that this doesn’t happen very often. In fact, it’s been a few years.
If you can help identify the man in the video, please call the Peachtree City Police Department. They are also accepting information on their Facebook page.