Sometimes, one act of kindness is all it takes to undo the damage caused by another.
A Lake Stevens auto repair shop is stepping in to fix a food bank truck at no cost after thieves stole its catalytic converter over the holiday weekend.
The Lake Stevens Community Food Bank announced Monday that the owners of Lake Stevens Automotive offered to repair the truck free of charge after learning it had been damaged in an apparent catalytic converter theft.
“We just received the most amazing news!” the food bank wrote in a Facebook post Monday. “The owners of Lake Stevens Automotive reached out and told us to bring the food bank truck in to be repaired — and there will be NO CHARGE!” the organization said.
Food bank officials thanked the business for its generosity, calling the donation “an incredible gift” and “a beautiful reminder of how special our community is.”
The offer comes just days after the nonprofit revealed that someone had stolen the truck’s catalytic converter sometime between Friday, July 3, and Sunday, July 5, according to the food bank.
Staff members discovered the theft Monday morning when volunteers attempted to use the truck to pick up food donations, but it would not start, the organization said.
The truck had been parked along 20th Street in a high-traffic area, making the theft particularly bold, according to the food bank.
“It’s heartbreaking,” the organization wrote in an earlier Facebook post. “This wasn’t just theft from our organization—it was theft from the people we serve. They literally stole from the hands that help feed our clients and neighbors in our community,” the food bank said.
The organization had asked anyone who was driving by the area between July 3 and July 6 and noticed suspicious people or vehicles near the truck to come forward with information.
While the theft remains under investigation, the donation from Lake Stevens Automotive means the food bank expects to get its truck back on the road without having to absorb what it described as an expensive repair bill.
The repair shop’s act of generosity didn’t go unnoticed, with several residents thanking the business.
“Great News! Great People!” one woman wrote. “Thank you Lake Stevens Automotive!”
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