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Central Florida non-profit says van was stolen
A charitable organization that helps children in need said someone stole its van. Winter Garden-based Eight Waves said the van was stolen over the holidays. It uses the van to transport underserved kids to birthday parties and other fun activities.
WINTER GARDEN, Fla. - A nonprofit that provides resources for kids needs help after someone stole its van over the holidays, forcing staff members to find another way to take children from its after-school program home and to other activities when school begins again.
"You didn't take away from us; you took away from our babies," Chloe Johnson, the children's director at Eight Waves, said Wednesday.
Upon the staff's return to the location on East Plant Street, all that remained of the Ford van was broken glass beside the space where the van was parked.
"You took something that's near and dear to us, but it also makes the impact [worse] because now what are we going to do?" Johnson said.
The van primarily took under-resourced kids whom the nonprofit serves to birthday parties and other fun activities. With Orange County Public Schools students returning to class next week, the staff is trying to figure out how to make it work without the van.
"If there's anybody out there who knows anything, just speak up, just not for the sake of us. Just for the sake of our babies," Johnson said. "Even if the seats are gone, we want our van back. You can just drop it off at a random spot. We don't even need to know who you are. We want our van back for our babies."
The nonprofit filed a report with Winter Garden Police. According to Johnson, the van's has pinged at several tolls.
FOX 35 News has contacted police to learn more about the van's whereabouts.