Church gifts Sam's Club gift cards to families in need, finds out they don't work

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A suburban church gifted families in need $100 Sam's Club gift cards only to find that they aren't working when they go to use them.

Pastor Steve Troglio is now holding onto the cards after getting complaints about other similar cards that couldn't be used.

"We gave them $13,000 of God's money, it's not my money it's church money, and they gave us 130 blank plastic cards," he said.

"These parents had no hope; no, they were given hope and that hope was taken away when they went to purchase things," said Alexis Rodriguez, youth minister at Firehouse Chapel.

Rodriguez is Troglio's daughter. She said they distributed 130 $100 Sam's Club gift card to suburban public school social workers for the social workers to give to families, but started getting calls last week that the cards didn't work.

"I was heartbroken, truly was heartbroken," she said.

"We don't know who these kids are, we don't know what religion they are because it doesn't matter," Troglio said. "We just know they are kids in needs therefore we want these kids to have a Christmas."

Troglio and Rodriguez said after repeated calls to Sam's Club, some of the cards are now working but not all of them.

Sam's Club issued a statement saying in part, "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience we have caused. Due to an internal error, the gift cards were not activated when they were shipped.... we're in the process of making sure all the gift cards get activated appropriately."

"My patience is running thin for these children because they deserve to have Christmas," Rodriguez said. "They suffer enough during the year, it's not fair for them to have to go through this."

Pastor Troglio, his staff and congregation are hopeful the fixes are done in time for the holidays. Sam's Club issued a statement Monday night saying they have confirmed through their Member Services Team that all the gift cards are now activated and working.