LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) - One year after arson destroyed his food pantry just before Thanksgiving, Dais Abraham said he has struggled to build back what he lost.
“There is nothing that I restored from there,” said Abraham, who runs New Testament Ministries.
On Nov. 15, 2023, an arsonist set a fire at the New Testament Ministries food pantry in Lakeland.
At that time, the community and non-profit organizations came together to provide Thanksgiving meals for the people Abraham served.
The arsonist, Gordon Nelson, pled no contest to the arson charge this summer and was sentenced to three years in prison.
Even now, Abraham said he cannot make sense of why the fire happened.
"I still don't understand exactly but I know for sure it's not something that the community wanted but the need has increased much more than ever before,” he said. “We've been through a lot more challenges, especially to put back a place again is not something that's easy."
Location and financial challenges have made this a long, hard year for Abraham.
In the meantime, he’s bringing the food he still receives to the “Champions Canteen” at Bartow High School.
"We named it the Champions' Canteen because we want to take the stigma out of the food bank,” said special education teacher Deanne Taylor, who runs the canteen. “It’s just an eye-opener that the kids are hungry.”
For the last few months, Taylor said Abraham has helped to fill shelves with food in between Feeding Tampa Bay deliveries.
"We get deliveries every two weeks so that second week, it's slim pickings and we want to be able to provide people what they need,” said Taylor. “With Abraham helping out, it’s filling in what we don’t have.”
“Spacewise it’s not enough but at least it is running. It is giving someone something,” said Abraham.
Abraham is looking for some help to reopen a standalone food bank, like the one he lost.
"They can help financially and by finding a place, if somebody has a facility or a place that they have which could be used, yes that would be the biggest help,” said Abraham.
Abraham can be reached at (813) 643-3247.
Abraham and the “Champions Canteen” will be giving out turkeys and Thanksgiving fixings, drive-thru style, next Friday, Nov. 22 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Bartow High School.