Syracuse, NY-- Staffers crowded into Bettie Graham's little office Tuesday as she wiped away tears after discovering someone vandalized The Determination Center of CNY, the agency that provides an after-school program for 78 children and an evening program for 100 teens. “They took everything,” said Graham, the president and chief executive officer of the not-for-profit. The center leases space...
Syracuse, NY-- Staffers crowded into Bettie Graham's little office Tuesday as she wiped away tears after discovering someone vandalized The Determination Center of CNY, the agency that provides an after-school program for 78 children and an evening program for 100 teens.
“They took everything,” said Graham, the president and chief executive officer of the not-for-profit.
The center leases space from Catholic Charities of Onondaga County. Sometime between 12:30 p.m. Sunday and 4 p.m. on Monday, thieves broke into the Catholic Charities at 1654 W. Onondaga St. They tried several doors before breaking a window at the back of the former orphanage built in 1889.
Once inside they ransacked the ground floor shattering windows in old-fashioned doors, kicked in other doors, tipped over vending machines and vandalized the Lullaby League, a room for expectant parents.
The charity is conducting an inventory today, but the list of losses includes the keys to the building and its offices, petty cash ,and some workers’ personal items, said Toni Maxwell, the charity’s associate director.
Damage to the ground floor offices was significant and staff is making an inventory of missing items, she said.
“We’re a neighbor to this neighborhood. That’s what makes this very hard to understand,” Maxwell said.
Catholic Charities continued to offer programs, including meals for senior citizens, today, she said. However, it has canceled all evening activities at the House of Providence until further notice.
Today maintenance crews were making repairs, and a locksmith’s truck was parked outside the building.
The organization is working with its security company to determine what happened and is adding an overnight security guard, Maxwell said.
To her knowledge, this is the first time the building has been broken into, she said.
From the ground floor, the thieves followed a gaily painted hallway to an unlocked door to The Determination Center, which rents space in what was an old day care center.
Graham founded The Determination Center in 2007 in a room at the James Geddes housing project. The non-profit moved to space next to Catholic Charities about a year ago.
Although Catholic Charities found out about the vandalism Sunday afternoon, Graham didn’t know anything was wrong until she drove into the parking lot behind the building and saw the kitchen curtains missing.
She called next door, and was told about the vandalism.
Some doors were kicked in at the Determination Center, and its offices ransacked, file drawers pulled out. Thieves stole a sound system, a camera, petty cash, money raised by the children, and craft supplies.
What hurts her more, Graham said, was that the thieves stole food that she serves as dinner to the children who attend the after school program. It’s the only evening meal for some of the children, she said.
Graham canceled programs today as she tries to cope with the losses.
“I’m trying to do something for the community. It’s for the kids and they just took it away in one day,” she said.
Police are reviewing surveillance video from the vandalism. But they’re asking for the public’s help. If you have any information call 442-5222.