(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) A small neighborhood pantry which provided a place for people to drop off and collect canned goods was vandalized Friday morning. 

Friends of the woman who ran the pantry said it had been sitting outside a home in the neighborhood of 24th and Edmond St.  for about 4 years, and was successful.

"She'd have stacks and boxes and donations coming in," Donna Stuber, a donor to the pantry said. "She’d have it spread out all over her living room and the kids would help her sort."

With so much food insecurity in town, Friends said it was nice to have a quick and simple way for people to help those less fortunate.

This week it all came to a stop however, when the woman who started the pantry came out to find it completely destroyed.

"It was upsetting, that’s for sure." Stuber said.  "There’s so many people that don’t know how to have empathy and think about the consequences."

Donors admitted that the pantry had been targeted before, but they say the outright destruction of it couldn’t have come at a worse time.

"Now of course with the pandemic, people need extra help more than ever." Stuber said. 

Despite the vandalism, friends and donors said the idea for the pantry has spread to other neighborhoods in St. Joseph.

Donors said they hope the giving spirit of the community continues in spite of the crime

"People care," Stuber said. "They most certainly care and want to help."

The owner of the pantry announced through her facebook page that she plans to discontinue the pantry as a result of the vandalism, she said people can still donate items to other pop up pantries around town.