PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — With less than two weeks until Christmas, a Grinch has stolen donations meant for the Portland Rescue Mission.

The Portland Rescue Mission says the holiday season is a time of the year when droves of generous residents send contributions to the organization, with the daily mail bringing thousands of donation letters.

Sadly, when the rescue mission’s official representative went to pick that mail up in downtown Portland on Monday, there was not a single letter to be found.

“[The mail] already had been picked up by an unknown grinch who posed as a courier,” the Portland Rescue Mission said in a press release on Thursday.

Based on past mail volume, the organization estimates this could affect about 1,000 donors and a whopping $100,000 in gifts.

The release states the rescue mission has filed a police report and alerted the U.S. Postal Service, which has already taken steps to tighten its pickup security process in the days since the theft. Authorities are also looking at security footage and trying to secure scans of the letters meant to go to the non-profit.

“We are incredibly disappointed on many levels,” Portland Rescue Mission Executive Director Eric Bauer said. “Stealing mail is a crime, but it makes our job more challenging to provide hope-giving and life-restoring services in the winter months when people need it most. It also places [an] unnecessary burden on the thousands of donors who give compassionately, especially at this time of year.”

The rescue mission has recommendations for anyone that mailed donations between Dec. 7-10:

  • Stay vigilant and check your financial account to see if there is any unauthorized activity and report it to your financial institution.
  • Donors can contact Portland Rescue Mission directly by emailing verifygift@pdxmission.org and requesting a confirmation they received their donation. Please include name, address, and amount of gift.
  • Anyone looking to avoid donating by mail is advised to give online via the Portland Rescue Mission’s website. 

“Gifts to help make up the shortfall during this critical season are greatly appreciated,” the non-profit said.