A broken-down van nearly forced a Cleveland human trafficking awareness organization to pause its work entirely. Strong Hands United had relied on the same vehicle for five years to haul donated goods from four Walmart stores across Ohio, but when engine problems finally knocked it out of commission, the nonprofit worried its program was in jeopardy of being cut off without a way to transport supplies.
Founder Curtis Freed had said his organization's fate was in limbo without the van, according to News 5 Cleveland. Strong Hands United, which has operated since 2015, collects donations every two weeks from the four Walmart stores and uses a van to move the goods, but it lacked a rainy day fund to cover a replacement. At the time, the group estimated a new van would cost roughly $10,000.
A GoFundMe Takes Off Within Minutes
Everything changed after News 5 aired Freed's story on September 13, 2025. Within half an hour of the organization's GoFundMe going active, someone donated $5,000 to Strong Hands United, the station reported. An additional $2,000 came in after the segment aired, giving the nonprofit roughly $7,000 toward a vehicle it needed just to keep operating.
Freed had told News 5 he believed someone would step up to help, and the swift response bore that out. He later said the community's support is what allowed Strong Hands United to continue its work, per the station's report.
From $13,500 Estimate to a $5,500 Deal
Strong Hands United ultimately purchased a used van with 60,000 miles on it. The vehicle had been estimated to cost $13,500, per Freed, but the seller reduced the price, and the organization ended up paying $5,500 for it — well under even the initial $10,000 estimate the group had floated before the fundraiser began.
With the new van in hand, Strong Hands United wasted no time putting it to work. The organization had already completed four loads using the van, picking up donated goods from Walmart stores to keep its distribution cycle running, according to the same News 5 Cleveland account.
More Than a Van: Closets, Bikes, and Community Days
The vehicle does more than haul boxes. Strong Hands United also operates a community closet stocked for anyone who needs items throughout the year, the organization said in earlier News 5 coverage. That community focus extends beyond the closet: the group organized the second annual Summer Safety Family Fun Day jointly with Glenville and East Cleveland, an event that drew more than 400 residents, according to The Land. That same gathering gave away 40 refurbished bicycles to children through a partnership involving Walmart and local bike shops, The Land reported.
The Land's coverage also noted that Ohio ranks among the top five states in the U.S. for human trafficking, underscoring why groups like Strong Hands United keep running safety and awareness programming even on a shoestring budget.
Looking Ahead to the Holidays
Strong Hands United isn't slowing down. The organization, in partnership with the Fatherhood Initiative, was preparing for a Christmas Wonderland event at the East Cleveland Civic Center set for December 12, 2025. The van that nearly sidelined the nonprofit's mission is now the same vehicle expected to help haul supplies for that next community event.
Walmart's role in Strong Hands United's supply chain fits into a broader pattern of retail giving across the state. Mid-Ohio Food Collective truck drivers pick up retail donations daily across central and eastern Ohio and distribute them to neighborhood pantries, according to the Mid-Ohio Food Collective. Walmart and Sam's Club stores in that collective's 20-county service area donated more than 11 million pounds of groceries in 2024 alone, the organization says, with individual supercenters in Canal Winchester and Grove City each contributing tens of thousands of meals worth of food that year.
