On the morning of June 11 this year, Jan Deferbrache sat in the middle of her ransacked shop and cried. The first break-in the day before was bad enough, but the thieves had come back the next night and trashed all that she has poured her heart and soul into. “They stole the alarm we were going to install that day, they stole jewelry, broke glass, stole the food from the pantry and the freezer, the jar of cash we keep to give people to buy food for themselves. I just cried.”
Many east side businesses were victims of burglaries in June, and small shops like the Magic Candle suffered damage and a sense of violation as well as lost money. But the Magic Candle is also home to GaiaWorks, the nonprofit that provides food to the neediest in the community. “I had phone calls from seniors who needed food,” Jan said. “And I couldn’t help them. I had nothing to give them, no money to help. That’s the first time that has happened.”
The Magic Candle opened in Irvington in 2000. GaiaWorks was incorporated in 2005, but Jan’s work with the homeless and hungry started long before that, in 1992 when she and Frances Norwood went downtown with sandwiches and coffee to help homeless people on the street.
Due to insurance loopholes, Jan said that her losses will not be covered. While many consignment vendors said that their losses were covered under their insurance, Jan still estimates she will be out-of-pocket about $10,000 in loss of inventory and damage. Worse, she feels deeply for the people she cannot help, especially the seniors who rely on her food pantry to stretch their meager Social Security checks. “I wonder if those thieves realized they were taking food from seniors and others in real need.”
The day after the ransacking, Jan said she asked for help from friends to help clean up and assess the damages and loss. Dozens showed up to help, and she was grateful for the love and support many have shown her during this tough time.
One staunch supporter of GaiaWorks and the Magic Candle is Alan Hunter, who guides the very popular Irvington Ghost Tours in October, and donates the proceeds to a number of Irvington organizations, including Gaia Works. Hearing of her plight, Al thought of ways to help her out. “She won’t ask for help, but we knew she was hurting.” To help restock the pantry at GaiaWorks and get things back in order, Alan will be offering a one-time special Irvington Ghost Tour on Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. The tour is limited to only 50 participants, and must be purchased at the Magic Candle. The cost is $20 (cash only) for the charity tour, which will take guests to several haunted sites beginning at the Irving Theatre. It will be a grand night of walking through Irvington with one of the best storytellers/historians around. Tickets will go fast for this special tour, so get to Magic Candle soon to reserve your spot.
After the tour, guests can go the Magic Candle for psychic readings for only $10, with proceeds also going to support the GaiaWorks food pantry.
Jan said she is grateful to the community for their continued support of all that she does to help the hungry. She noted that she is in desperate need of non-perishable items to restock the pantry, including canned meat and tunafish, pasta, canned fruits and vegetables, crackers, soup and stew, and women’s hygiene items and diapers. Cash donations are also needed; Jan distributes the money to people so they can buy fresh fruits and vegetables at the supermarket. Gift cards to local supermarkets are also appreciated.
The Magic Candle is located at 203 S. Audubon Ave. in the heart of the old Irvington Commercial District.
