Roxbury chapel’s food, toy drive recovers after storm threw plans awry

Roxbury — Roxbury Pastor Roy Owens said Friday’s storm nearly derailed his church’s plans to distribute food and toys on Christmas Eve.

But thanks to what Owens calls the Christmas miracle, by Christmas Eve, Blue Hill Avenue was lined with cars delivering donations.

WBZ-TV first met Owens on Friday night.

The storm had just passed, but its effects were still spreading. Owens heads his chapel at Walsall in Roxbury and helps deliver food to families in need every Saturday. He said it was going to be a big delivery this week given the timing of the holiday weekend.

But on Friday, the food bank they partner with was forced to close early because of the weather.

“There are hundreds of people who don’t get anything for Christmas,” Owens said Friday.

The pastor then contacted WBZ-TV and asked for help. WBZ-TV’s Juli McDonald turned in a report that first aired at 8 p.m.

“As soon as it went on air, thankfully, people started responding,” he said when he caught up with Owens again on Saturday.

Owens said he had collected enough toys to help the children in his neighborhood. It was opened solely for the purpose of

Miracle on Blue Hill Avenue.

“I just want to thank God and the people for coming out.”