A Community Outpouring of Support for Habitat for Humanity

Two weeks after some “turkeys” stole their supply of power pools right before Thanksgiving, Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity appears to have recovered.

Thanks to an outpouring of support, the nonprofit has “been restored, and then some,” President/CEO Christina Leakey said.

The theft occurred some time before the morning of Nov. 21, when the Wednesday build crew showed up and found the lock for one of Habitat’s two box trailers had been busted and all the power tools inside swiped – at least $5,000 and perhaps four-figures worth of tools, batteries and chargers. Several crew members went home and retrieved some tools in order to get some work done that day, Leakey said.

Since then a variety of donors have responded to Habitat’s appeal.

“The community has really turned up big for us in a number of ways,” Leakey said. “Several different tool companies have given or are in the process of that … asking about our inventory.”

“It’s been really encouraging to see.”

Other individuals have walked right into the Habitat’s office on Dodgion Street in Independence with bags of tools – extras from their personal or business inventory that still have useful life.

Leakey said a man from Marshall with a tool collection left from his father called to see if Habitat might be willing to travel out there and pick out any useful tools it might need. An elderly woman in North Kansas City who had a tool collection left behind made a similar offer.

In addition, many people have made cash donations.

After the theft Leakey noted that even beyond Habitat, the theft also victimized citizens who stand to benefit from the group’s projects, as well as Habitat’s donors. Currently, Habitat has five home build projects – two new houses and three substantial rehabilitations.

Police said last week they had not located any other camera footage or been able to develop any leads or suspects in the case.

But thanks to the donations, Habitat hasn’t skipped too many beats, and it also will not have to make an insurance claim, something that otherwise might have affect the organization’s insurance rates.

“People have gone above and beyond,” Leakey said.

Org Article posted on the examiner.net