Shattered Doors, Unshaken Hope: Rallying Together After the Break-In
In the early hours of Monday morning, our school—IMPACT for Developmental Education—was broken into. What should always be a safe and welcoming place for our children was instead left in disarray. Two of our doors were shattered, glass and papers were scattered across the floor, and three laptops, along with nearly $800 in cash and checks, were stolen. Heartbreakingly, some of that money was given in memory of our board president’s late wife.
This break-in was more than just a physical disruption. It forced us to close our doors for the day, leaving our families without care and our children without the safe, supportive environment they depend on. For our little ones—children ages three to six with special needs—even one missed day can feel overwhelming.
As our Executive Director, Maxine Gibbs, shared:
“Once you break the glass, you can see that this is a place for kids. So why would you keep going? It feels almost like a desecration, because this is for a population that really has very few alternatives. And we provide the alternatives.”
But while this incident shook us, the love and support we have received from our community has reminded us why we do what we do. Vicky Bakery blessed us with food and coffee as we cleaned up, and even surprised us by ordering new rugs. United Way generously donated a laptop to replace one of the stolen ones, and caring neighbors like Jay Scanlon gifted us additional laptops and iPads, and even arrived with three Ring cameras to help us feel secure moving forward.
We are deeply moved by this outpouring of kindness. It shows our children—and all of us—that even in difficult times, our community stands together.
💙 How You Can Help
While the support has lifted our spirits, we still face a long road to fully recover. We need help replacing what was stolen, covering repair costs, and restoring every bit of security our children deserve.
Donations of any size make a direct impact on our programs.
Volunteers are welcome to support cleanup and recovery efforts.
We have also created an Amazon Wish List for those who would like to purchase items we urgently need.
Every gift, every helping hand, and every kind word brings us closer to healing. Together, we can turn this difficult moment into a story of resilience, reminding our students that they are always safe, loved, and supported here at IMPACT.