A non-profit dedicated to helping adults with disabilities in Newnan has suffered a “heartbreaking” blow to their program, after thieves stole their van.
“It means a lot to us,” said Corey Herndon, one of the clients served by the Rutledge Center. “It was pretty sad. It about ripped my heart out.”
Herndon is one of more than 60 people with developmental disabilities who depend on that van, a white 2012 Chevy Express, to get to their jobs, the grocery store and other places they wouldn’t be able to go without the van.
“(We) go to the Special Olympics, bowling trips, out in the community … it takes us where we get contract work, stuff like that,” Herndon said.
Security video from Monday night showed two people breaking into the locked parking lot and hotwiring the van--and then driving it away.
“It really was a big blow, it affects all of us,” said Ann Newton, executive director of the Rutledge Center.
The community-based program had three vans – and now it is trying to get by with two.
“The heart of us, the heart of what we do has to be in the community, and a lot of individuals we work with don’t have opportunities to be out in the community, doing little things like grocery shopping," Newton said. “By us having the vehicles and having the support, we are able to get them out in the community and allow them to have opportunities that you and I probably take advantage of every day.”
Herndon’s message to the thieves?
“Bring it back,” he said.
Anyone with information about the van or those who might have seen it around is asked to call Newnan Police.