‘We’re still moving forward.’ Fort Worth pantry damaged in fire continues to help people
Eastside Ministries can’t use its fire-damaged building to give out food, but that hasn’t stopped volunteers from loading up boxes to give to those in need.
Eastside Ministries board president and acting executive director Diane Moore said people form lines around the building at 5929 E. Lancaster Ave. for the nonprofit’s drive-through option.
“People start lining up at around 8:30, and lines often wrap around the building,” she said. “We’re still moving forward, and volunteers are helping us pack boxes with food so that we can keep helping people.”
Eastside Ministries got more welcome news when its long-time community partner, Texas Health Resources, awarded a $10,000 grant to help rebuild the damaged food pantry.
The damage is estimated to be around $50,000.
Moore said she is grateful to Texas Health and described how several from the hospital network came to Eastside Ministries and saw the damage.
“The expressions on their faces were heart-wrenching, and they looked like how I felt,” Moore said.
She said several Texas Health volunteers also donated items.
David Tesmer, chief community and public policy officer for Texas Health, said: “What a tragic event in some respects. However, we were not surprised when Eastside Ministries continued to move forward with its help to the neighborhood.”
Moore said she hopes to have the food pantry up and running by March, but there are repairs that must be made to the roof and electrical and HVAC systems.
The fire
The fire started early in the morning on Nov. 28, and heavily damaged the building that served as the food pantry. Volunteers were preparing pre-packaged Christmas meals before the fire started.
A day before the fire, volunteers had picked up donated food and filled the shelves and walk-in freezers.
The volunteers threw away the food on the shelves and gave the frozen meat to other churches and food pantries.
Arrest
Zane Brugger is facing two felony charges for arson, according to a Fort Worth Police Department report. Brugger was arrested on Dec. 1, and is in the Tarrant County jail.
According to an email from the Fort Worth Fire Department, there were fires at Eastside Ministries on Nov. 26 and Nov. 28. Arson investigators were called to both fires.
Also on Nov. 26, there were reports of fires intentionally set at a commercial building in the 6800 block of East Lancaster Avenue and at two buildings along Airport Freeway. All were tied to the same suspect, according to the fire department.
Since 2019, Texas Health has awarded grants of $215,000 and $954,000 to Eastside Ministries’ Railroad Project, according to Texas Health. The program provides high blood pressure and diabetes screening, food, clothing, and mental health counseling to low-income adults.
“This grant shows that Eastside Ministries is doing great work, providing great tools to help people and providing them with a better life,” Tesmer said.
This story was originally published February 2, 2024 at 2:39 PM.