KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Trader Joe's store in Kalamazoo donated thousands of pounds of food to a local shelter after their refrigeration system went down Wednesday morning.

People who work at Kalamazoo Gospel Mission say the 35,000 pounds of food from the store is the largest donation they've ever seen. The ministry says it will make a huge difference, not only with more meals, but uplifting the spirits of the people they serve.

"They called us and we were able to mobilize a team within an hour that consisted of staff and volunteers," said Greg Weaver, Director of Food Service at the mission.

Trader Joe's Store Captain Daniel Sorscher says its the company's policy to do so, and also says they donate food daily to local shelters to help clear their shelves.

"Everything that we deem is able to be consumed safely we donate to our neighbors and we're really happy to participate in helping the community in that way," Sorscher said.

On Wednesday, stocking the shelves and refrigerators at Kalamazoo Gospel Mission with fresh cheeses, meats, produce and more.

"They just really exemplified a culture of generosity and we're just so thankful for them," Weaver said.

The Kalamazoo Gospel Mission provides three free meals daily, serving about 600 meals every day. Weaver says 95 percent of the mission's food comes from donations.

The mission was able to store most of the food, but they actually decided to donate about 4,000 pounds to 12 Baskets, a local food pantry.