FOX 2 - Last month thoughtless thieves drove off with an important piece of equipment used by a group that helps adults with special needs. But now a local business decided to lend a helping hand - surprising the nonprofit with a brand new customized trailer.
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Generous donation made to replace stolen trailer from adult special needs nonprofit
Priority Waste out of Clinton Township came to the aid of Mi Abilities which had a brand new trailer stolen recently. The organization helps adults with special needs and its workers had saved for nearly three years to buy the trailer before it was stolen.
FOX 2 first showed the video a month ago - a dump trailer being hauled away by thieves in the dark of night. A trailer that belonged to a non-profit that serves special needs adults.
"It's a deep wound for me - it's going to be worse for them - they busted their butts for three years almost to get that trailer," said Bear Hall at the time.
Hall is the founder of mi abilities - they give jobs to special needs adults - they make gourmet treats, and do woodworking and split and deliver firewood - their new dump trailer meant they could deliver three times as much - and then they couldn't - because it was gone.
"We had some trailers we had just ordered and purchased, ready," said Dan Venet.
Venet, of Priority Waste in Clinton Township, saw our story.
"Reading more about Mi Abilities and what they do and how they help the community of individuals as well as just the greater good of our communities, we just had to take action," Venet said.
His best friend's son, Easton, has special needs, so Venet is passionate about helping organizations that help people like him.
"I think we all have individuals in our lives that we love and care for, that have these types of special needs and it's remarkable what Bear and his wife Theresa do," he said.
On Monday Priority Waste drove a new trailer out to Mi Abilities in Milford - and donated it to the non-profit.
"Dan reaching out to us was the biggest blessing we had," Hall said. "It took us three years almost to save for that original trailer - to have that replaced in a day is massive for us."
Now they can get back on track with firewood deliveries - they don't have to buy a new trailer and the money donated to their GoFundMe - will instead be used to expand operations and hire 20 more people.
"It's great - I'm hoping to hire 50 more kids by the end of the year," said Hall. "Our goal is to put more young adults to work and we're ahead of the game now by at least a year."
Bear Hall and his employees could not be happier - and Venet is pretty excited, too.
"You could just tell it meant a lot to them and we're just glad we could be a part of it," Venet said.
"We appreciate everything they've done for us and the impact is tremendous," said Hall. "We love everybody over there at Priority Waste."