NBC 5 Responds helps nonprofit receive appliances it had purchased prior to pandemic
When a dedicated nonprofit found itself in need of assistance, it turned to NBC 5 Responds for a helping hand.
Food insecurity is a sensitive topic for people who need help, but there are many different reasons people find themselves needing help filling their fridges and pantries, said William Pherigo, executive director of WestAid, a nonprofit that has spent 40 years serving families in Tarrant County.
“Some may be underemployment. Some may be on limited fixed incomes,” said Pherigo. “Some maybe have recently lost a job. There may be medical reasons.”
WATCH HEREIn 2024, nearly 10,000 households around Fort Worth received fresh food from WestAid. They are open three mornings a week, and clients can shop twice a month.
“They are greeted with a volunteer that goes into the area where we have like a small store shopping area and they go through picking out items that they need, make choices for themselves,” Pherigo said.
SIGN UP “And then when they leave, they, they have a good supply of food.”
A few years ago, WestAid was planning to move to a larger space, with a bigger kitchen plus, a break room for volunteers. So the agency purchased a range, refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave from Lowe’s.
Then along came COVID. The move was put on hold, and with no space for the appliances, they were never delivered within the allotted year. When WestAid finally contacted Lowe’s, too much time had passed and it wasn’t clear what became of the items he purchased. That’s when he contacted NBC 5 Responds.
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Our consumer team contacted Lowe’s on the agency’s behalf, and the retailer’s corporate office quickly responded. Lowe’s refunded what WestAid paid for the appliances, $2,276, and threw in an extra $300 dollars, which a company spokesman said was “not a donation, but more of a gesture of goodwill by the store for Mr. Pherigo’s troubles.”
NBC 5 Responds is committed to researching your concerns and recovering your money. Our goal is to get you answers and, if possible, solutions and a resolution. Call us at 844-5RESPND (844-573-7763) or fill out our customer complaint form.
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