A hail storm hit areas of North Texas on April 11, damaging buildings and canceling school in Wylie. The golf ball to baseball-sized hail hit close to home, in Allen, and one of the buildings damaged in the hail storm was the local food and clothing bank, Allen Community Outreach.

“When the storm hit, the water leaked and came down like a shower,” said Glenda May, the executive director at Allen Community Outreach.

Allen Community Outreach opened in 1985 and has been the main food provider for the homeless in Collin County ever since.

The cost of the damage was estimated to be to $60,000, and because of the damage the volunteers have had to deny food for people who look to the ACO as their main supply.

The roof has apparently never been stable. Since 2009, when the ACO moved to their new location, they patched the roof and hoped that it would hold.

“We recently got another patch to ensure that the leakage would stop,” May said. “We’re hoping to get another one later this spring.”

The ACO relies on the work of volunteers and is a non-profit organization; therefore, not much money can be put in from the managers. After many donations from various contributors, the ACO has reached its goal of raising $60,000 to replace the roof.

“I am just humbled at the generosity of our supporters,” May said. “We work so hard each and every day to help others. I can’t tell you how much it means to have our community give back to ACO when we needed the help with our building. On behalf of our staff, Board and the many families we serve, we all say thank you!”

Anyone wanting to donate to the ACO is still welcome to do so here.