Women arrested for vandalizing blessing box

BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Binghamton police confirmed an arrest was made after two community ‘blessing boxes’ were destroyed in the past two weeks.

Friends in Need Blessing Box has setup eight locations across Broome County where people can donate and pickup free food, and hygiene products 24/7.

The footage you’re seeing was taken outside of the Crossroads of Life Church on Exchange Street in Binghamton.

The video shows a women breaking open the box, kicking in the door, and throwing the food onto the sidewalk, before she walks away giving the middle finger.

Two days earlier, a similar incident occurred at the Rano Boulevard blessing box in Vestal.

The co-founder of the blessing box program, Kim Palacios, says now they have to build another box, which costs around $350.

“One of our volunteers went to fill the box on Rano Boulevard and it was destroyed. It was completely in pieces, unfixable. We’re not sure who did that or why they did it, but the food was thrown all over the floor,” says Palacios.

Captain Minor Cory confirmed that as a result, Binghamton Police arrested 40-year-old Colleen Matthews for criminal mischief.

Palacios says because of the incident on Exchange Street, the Crossroads of Life Church has asked them to relocate the box to avoid similar incidents in the future.

She says its being relocated to Union Street in Johnson City.

You can find the addresses for every blessing box on Facebook by looking up Friends in Need Blessing Box Project.

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