A Blessing Box installed in the Sunshine community by the organization With Love from Harlan (#withlovefromharlan) was found severely damaged on Monday.

With Love from Harlan President Leslie Bledsoe said she received a message on Monday informing her of the incident.

“I received a message from a person who works in the Sunshine community,” Bledsoe said. “He said one of the Blessing Boxes was destroyed.”

Bledsoe said the box was damaged beyond repair.

“By the time we got to the box, it was totally destroyed,” Bledsoe said. “The roof was torn off, the trash can was caved in, the box was torn off of the post and the post was out of the ground.”

Bledsoe pointed out the post was set in about 12 inches of concrete.

The purpose of the Blessing Boxes is to provide people in need with food, hygiene products and other necessary items.

“It’s a box that we’ve put together to help those in the community — mostly children — but they can be used by anyone,” Bledsoe said. “They can get anything they need that’s in the box. The slogan we put on the front of the box is ‘Take what you need, leave what you can. Above all be blessed.’”

Bledsoe explained people put all sorts of items in the box, such as water, Vienna sausages, ramen noodles, diapers and hygiene items.

Bledsoe said the boxes have been a success.

“They’ve been working wonderfully,” Bledsoe said. “Sunshine has actually been the most used box we have.”

The destroyed box will be replaced.

“We will not let this…stop us from putting another box up,” Bledsoe said. “This is going to make us show more love and let them know that we’re not going to be deterred by that kind of behavior.”