Kathy’s Sunshine Outreach Center, a nonprofit serving the historic Joppa community since 1998, is reeling from a destructive burglary that left its small facility in ruins.

Between Friday evening and Sunday midday, burglars ransacked the facility, stealing essential items and causing widespread damage.
“They took all our chairs, tables, the meter, they destroyed our AC units, they destroyed both bathrooms. They took anything that they could get their hands on,” said Christopher Harris, whose mother, Kathy Williams, founded the nonprofit.

“It was just senseless, senseless, I can’t believe it,” Harris told Fox 4 KDFW.

He discovered the devastation while arriving to mow the lawn.

“I came over to cut the yard, because I normally cut it once a week. I came in and saw something was kind of off, and I looked…,” he said.

The burglars entered through the windows, dismantling and destroying much of the facility in what Harris believes was a search for copper. The pantry, a vital resource, was hit especially hard.

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“This is the pantry area. This is one of the most devastating parts of it. This is where all the food was kept,” Harris said, per Fox 4.

Appliances were also stolen, further crippling the center’s operations.

Located in Joppa, a Dallas community founded in 1872 by formerly enslaved people, Kathy’s Sunshine Outreach Center has been a beacon of hope for nearly three decades, providing critical support to senior citizens, operating a food pantry, and assisting anyone in need.

“Helps the senior citizens, helps the community, the food pantry, anything that we can do to assist anybody that needs our help,” Harris said, Fox 4 reported.

Kathy Williams, the founder and CEO, emphasized the center’s mission in a GoFundMe appeal: “In a world where many face challenges, Kathy’s Sunshine Outreach Center shines a light of hope and assistance, providing resources that empower individuals and families to thrive.”

Despite the setback, the nonprofit remains committed to its mission. With the building currently unusable, Harris plans to use grills to prepare meals for those relying on the center this week.

“Not going to let one thing just keep us from doing what we have got to do, no matter if we get help or not. We still have a job to do because it’s still people that need us, and then it’s just something we have to do,” he said, per Fox 4. 

The center is now seeking community support to recover.

“Your support helps Kathy’s Sunshine Outreach Center make a difference by contributing towards rebuilding so we can continue to provide essential resources to individuals and families in need,” Williams stated in her appeal. “Every contribution, no matter how small, plays a crucial role in sustaining this important work.”

Donations can be made through the center’s GoFundMe page to help restore its ability to serve the residents of Joppa. A drive-through fundraiser event is also taking place at the center, located at 4604 Luzon St., on July 5, beginning at 10 a.m., according to a Facebook posting by Williams’ niece, Tamara Nikol. All types of donations are welcome, she wrote.