As the smoke clears from what was once the warehouse for the nonprofit called Neighbors Nourishing Neighbors, it is evident that the building used to feed hundreds of families is now destroyed beyond use.

Neighbors Nourishing Neighbors is a nonprofit organization that helps feed those in need. Right now, a temporary pantry is set up to continue this organization’s mission. N3 needs money and fundraising as rebuilding will be a long and expensive process. They will host the annual Hot Dogs and Hot Rods event at Town Hall on April 12. 

“What we do is that we serve from the heart, and we serve about 5,00 people each month,” The CEO of Neighbors Nourishing Neighbors, Robert Daleo, said.  “We are their primary source of nutrition. Not being able to feed those people was devastating. How would we get these families food?”

As news of the fire spread, Jason, the pastor at the United Methodists church, announced the fire. The question was, ‘How did this happen?’

“It was such a surreal moment, and hearing about something so devastating really hit hard,” student volunteer and member of the youth council for the United Methodist church, Emma Hirsch, said.  “The sadness of the situation sank in as I thought about the impact it must have had on the people affected.”

Neighbors Nourishing Neighbors is a choice pantry where families in need can come and shop for food for free. Daleo said it gives a sense of dignity to those families, and those who volunteer can learn valuable things.  

“You can’t teach the humility you learn through these experiences. It is something you need to see for yourself,” Daleo said. “Once you understand that you have humbled yourself because now things you have taken for granted you have never thought about before.”

The community started supporting the organization very quickly after the fire. Local churches and businesses gathered together to support this beloved organization. 

“The response was immediate,” Daleo said. “I did not know or appreciate how tight a community we have, and the support our community offers the food pantry because of our services.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped this organization. The church’s president, Brian Perkes, shipped 24 pallets—over 1,300 boxes—of food from Salt Lake City. The church also helped host a food drive, partnering with the Children’s World Hunger Fund and other nonprofits to provide food assistance. 

“Our church has had a long-standing relationship with N3, and we were heartbroken to hear about the fire,” the Communications Director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jennifer Stice, said. “We felt for our friends at N3, who work tirelessly to provide this vital service to our community, and we were especially concerned for the 300 families who rely on their food assistance each week.”

This event impacted not only the families the organization serves but also those working to help N3 regroup.

“This experience was a powerful reminder of the generosity and unity within the Prosper community,” Stice said. “When people unite with a shared purpose, barriers are broken, strengths are amplified, and meaningful change happens.”

Members of the community have also done things to support this organization.

“My family and I continue to help by donating food as much as we can, knowing how important it is to support N3 during their recovery,” Hirsch said. “Every contribution, no matter how small, helps them get back on their feet and continue providing for those in need.”

Daleo tries to see this event as a way to continue the growth of Neighbors Nourishing Neighbors, as they were starting to look for other locations because their old location was too small.

“We know God works in mysterious ways, and this fire was a wake-up call to us to get on with the expansion to feed the hungry,” Daleo said. “There will be a new look and feel to the organization, and we are really looking forward to a rebirth. We will be like a phoenix rising from the ashes.”