LAKELAND, Fl.a -- A Polk County church is praying they can rebuild their food bank after it was completely destroyed by a tornado several weeks ago.
The pastor of Mt. Tabor Baptist Church found out this week the rebuild will cost more than $100,000 — money his church just does not have right now.
“The ministry center is where we housed our food bank at and we would feed 175 to 225 people every week,” Pastor Matt Gilmore said.
RECOMMENDED:
- Road to recovery for a Polk County church hit by EF-2 tornado could see major roadblock
- Polk school janitor hid in custodial closet as EF-2 tornado hit, destroyed middle school
- Family survives EF-2 tornado by hunkering down inside closet
All that was left of the food bank, as of Tuesday, was a cement slab near the damaged church.
“We’re classified as a commercial business and for me to build, re-build or even put a portable on this property they’re requiring 30,000 gallons of water to fight a fire in my largest building,” Pastor Gilmore said.
Gilmore said that meant building a water tank that he was being told would cost about $120,000, when he already has to rebuild the food bank and make repairs to the church.
“We have not gotten the full damage assessment for [the church], so we’ve got to repair it first and then hopefully we can find a way to build [the food bank], but the $120,000 water tank is a huge tumbling block for us right now,” Gilmore said.
Click here if you would like to help Mt. Tabor Baptist Church.
