Miraculous wave of donations flows into St. Mary's after thieves clean out items for those in need.

Jesus multiplied five loaves of bread and two small fish into fish sandwiches to miraculously feed thousands of people, according to the classic Biblical tale.

This week at St. Mary’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Pacific Grove, the multiplication came from a lot less.

Thanks to a pair of thieves, the modern miracle sprung from some empty shelves and an Aug. 3 social media post that went viral.

The result is an overflowing of donations, greater than anything the church can remember observing since it opened in 1887, says Breanna Donofrio, the church’s office manager.

After word got out on social media that the cupboards were bare at The Store Next Door—a place for needy clients to pick out basic necessities like toiletries, diapers, clothing and household goods—people started showing up at the iconic red church located at the corner of 12th Street and Central Avenue with carloads of donations.

“I just posted this yesterday morning, and within 24 hours we filled most of the shelves, more than we’ve ever had,” Donofrio says.

It all started on July 26 when a couple in their mid-30s with an infant in a stroller showed up to the church during the brief operating hours (1-2:45pm) of the store and the food pantry.

St. Mary’s helps anyone who comes looking for food or other items, and charges nothing. It’s part of a ministry called Christian Social Concerns, a legacy that developed over the church’s 130 years that earned it the nickname “the little red church that cares.”

That day was a particularly busy day, Donofrio adds, something that’s been happening a lot since they’ve seen an increase in the Monterey Peninsula homeless population.

The volunteers who work at the front entrance are elderly and can’t get up to follow people around, she says. And they’re aren’t enough volunteers to monitor areas away from their line of sight.

The store is basically on an honor system: They depend on clients to take only what they need, leaving some behind for others.

On this day the couple took much more from the store located inside the church office building, leaving entire shelves and racks bare.

They filled the stroller to capacity with clothing and other items, possibly making multiple trips out of a side door when no one was looking.

Donofrio spied the couple leaving the church grounds toward a car, and thought it was unusual that their stroller, covered with a blanket, was so full, while the baby was in one of the parents’ arms.

Soon after when it was time to close up for the day at 2:45pm, Donofrio and the volunteers discovered the theft.

The next day, Donofrio checked with the manager of the church’s thrift store, who found that the store was missing many items too.

Church members believe the couple took advantage of an area out of sight of the cashier, and ferried items out of a side door there.

The couple also received an allotment of food from the church's food pantry, located off of the church's kitchen in the same building as the thrift store, but not more than other clients receive.

The police were not called.

“We’d like to believe that whatever their need was, they really needed [the items],” she says.

Church members are hoping the couple will sell the items to get money for food, and use the diapers for their baby.

The church also didn’t let the community know right away what happened, hoping that enough donations would come in during the week to refill shelves and help those who come on Monday, Wednesday and Friday when the ministry operates.

But it’s summer, and donations are slow.

So on Aug. 3, Donofrio took to Facebook to ask for people to help. Someone from the Perpetual Bargain Fair soon contacted her, and she posted it to the page.

The response was swift.

Within 30 minutes over a dozen bags of goods were dropped off at the church office.

As the hours went by, more people showed up with even more bags and boxes. The outpouring of community goodwill continued on Friday.

People also dropped off checks totaling more than $2,000 by late Friday afternoon.

Donofrio says she’s received numerous calls and emails from people who say they’ll be bringing donations over the weekend and into next week.

“We knew these items could be replaced,” she says. “To say I was right is an understatement based on what we got.”

Although shelves and racks are full again, Donofrio says they can still use toiletries, children's diapers and adult diapers. Homeless women use the diapers so they don’t have to leave their cars at night.

"These people came and they took, and what they wound up doing is giving," Donofrio says.

St. Mary's Pantry and The Store Next Door are open 1pm-2:45pm, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The church is located at 146 12th Street, Pacific Grove, 93950.

More information is available from the church office, (831) 373-4441. stmarysbythesea.org.