San Jose Church Targeted In Theft Holds Toy Giveaway After Community Steps Up
SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) – A San Jose church targeted by thieves over the holiday season made hundreds of kids in need happy, thanks to community members who rallied to make it happen.
Children and their families gathered at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church to receive toys, in honor of the Catholic feast of the Three Kings.
Last month, the church thought it might not be able to make it happen, after thieves stole a donation box containing thousands of dollars.
But once word got out, help came pouring in.
"It was quite amazing because we didn't ask for any money," said the Rev. Kevin Joyce, a priest at Our Lady of Guadalupe. "And immediately, several thousand dollars started flowing in from a lot of donors. So it was really heartening to see the outpouring of generosity."
In all, the church was able to give away about 600 gifts. As of Sunday, its GoFundMe page has raised more than $13,000.
