Irving Cares to experience temporary increase in security

Written by Phil Cerroni

By Amanda Casanova 

Irving Cares, a nonprofit agency, will ramp up security at the facility temporarily after a fatal stabbing occurred on the property in December.

The Irving City Council unanimously voted on Feb. 7 to reprogram about $5,600 in Community Development Block Grants for increased security at Irving Cares, 440 South Nursery Rd.

With the money, Irving Cares will contract with off-duty police officers to provide 154 hours of additional security at the food bank. The off-duty rate to hire the officers is about $35 an hour.

The temporary program is an eligible use of the funds, according to City staff documentation.

Irving Cares provides financial assistance for rent, mortgage, utilities, or prescriptions; an employment services program and transportation to medical appointments, but the bulk of its work is the food pantry.

In December, just three days after Christmas, an Irving man fatally stabbed his wife at the food bank.

Roy Lee Gooden, 47, and his wife, Sharon, came together to the facility where Gooden became angry and started stabbing Sharon. A security guard detained Gooden, and he was booked into the Irving city jail on a murder charge.