Adult day care center facing dilemma after van is stolen during holidays

HOUSTON – A Houston organization dedicated to helping others is asking for the community’s help, after one its vans was stolen over the holidays.

Brightway Adult Day Care Center is located at 12808 Veterans Memorial Drive.

It is a haven for mentally and physically disabled adults.

Employees often use service vans to shuttle clients to the grocery store, the doctor’s office and various other activities.

“Most of these people don't have families, so we're their family,” said employee Koko Ugbala. “We're the ones who keep them in high spirits and keep them from going into depression.”

On New Year’s Eve, employees discovered one of their service vans, a 15-seat, blue Ford E-350, had been stolen out of their parking lot.

“It really hurts us to know that we're going to have to say no to a lot of clients that are trying to get here and no to a lot of clients trying to get to their doctor appointments,” Ugbala said.

The organization does have insurance on the vehicle, but Ugbala said it will be hard to find a replacement that meets all of their requirements.

She hopes whoever stole it will have a change or heart.

“We need it, they need it, the community needs it,” Ugbala said.

If you have any information about where the van might be, call Houston police.

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