DETROIT – The Pure Heart Foundation does incredible work for children who really need it, but Friday the charity that works to lift up children whose parents are behind bars had their home ransacked.
“It’s very important to serve children with incarcerated parents, because 76 percent of kids with a parent incarcerated end up in prison,” said Sherelle Hogan, with Pure Heart Foundation. “We started with 20 kids, five years ago. We have served over 2,500 kids. We see 350 of them consistently."
That’s why she brought a home on East McNichols on Detroit’s east side. She wanted a place where the kids could come and feel safe.
“They don’t have a place that’s really considered home for them. This is place is big. It has enough rooms to do exactly what we strive to do here at Pure Heart,” Hogan said.
Around midnight Friday, thieves ransacked those plans.
“I’m furious and I’m heartbroken that people would do this, knowing what we’re fighting for -- we’re fighting for kids,” Hogan said.
The thieves broke into the home, kicked in the door and broke the window.
“They stole a lot. They stole the refrigerator, the stove, the furnace, the hot water tank,” Hogan said.
But that’s not all they did.
“They took that and poured paint over it. HAP donated over 100 of these care packages with school supplies and toiletries in it. They left one. They stole everything," she said.
The security system was also stolen.
“This was a blow, enormously for me and especially my kids. They’re already calling and texting, M’s. Sherelle, what do we do now?'” Hogan said. “We fight. We do what’s necessary. We bring awareness to what happened and we keep moving forward.”
Hogan said the center’s grand opening was set for April, but more than likely will have to push that back. Meanwhile, police are investigating.
If you want to donate, there is a GoFundMe account.