MILWAUKIE, Ore. — Volunteers at a Milwaukie church are hoping for a holiday miracle after someone stole a mobile clothing closet from the parking lot.
Thieves took the 20-foot trailer from the lot outside Milwaukie Lutheran Church on Sunday, between 3:30pm and 9:30pm.
“I naively thought, who steals from a church? It was a little disheartening that someone would do that,” said Stephanie Hollingshead, the community outreach coordinator for Milwaukie Lutheran Church.
Hollingshead said the trailer, which was locked, was packed with hundreds of pieces of warm clothing ready to be given out to the homeless.
“I'm hurt because that trailer helps a lot of people. It's not just a trailer,” she said. “We filled it up with new sweatshirts and hoodies and backpacks and tarps and tents.”
Volunteers planned to give out warm clothing on the day after Thanksgiving to people living on the street near Lents Park, but Hollingshead said she had to cancel the upcoming event.
“It's really hard to know there are people who are depending on me. I was really hurt, really sad, really angry,” she said.
The church is trying to collect more donations to make up for the stolen items.
“We are looking for warm coats, blankets and jeans are always really needed,” said Hollingshead.
If you’d like to donate clothes, you can drop them off at the Milwaukie Lutheran Church. You can find more information here.
The trailer’s license plate number is U265764. If you know anything about the theft, call Milwaukie Police.