Chandler family receives wheelchair accessible van from nonprofit

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Thanks to a nonprofit, a Chandler family is getting a life-changing gift right before the new year.

The Castanon family is receiving a wheelchair accessible van for their 11-year-old son.

"Getting this van is going to change our life," said Paul Castanon.

The family's 11-year-old son, Josiah, is fully disabled. They say he can't walk or talk, and it was often hard to get him and his wheelchair into their car.

"When we go to church, the store, I am the one who picks him up. I don't want my wife doing that. Yeah, so we were looking for a van, but they are expensive and my credit isn't that well," Castanon said.

But now they have a ramp and a way for both mom and dad to get Josiah and their daughters around town.

This was all made possible by the Steelman Family Foundation, nonprofit that works to give families wheelchair accessible vehicles.

The Castanon family has applied for a van, but they knew they may need to wait a while. But then the foundation found something just for them.

"I happened to be looking through my Nextdoor Facebook Page and I saw a vehicle that had been adapted that the family was offering for sale and I contacted them and we came up with a deal," said Rene Steelman, president of Steelman Family Foundation.

The Manjencich family used the van to get their son to and from school, but as their son has grown older, they knew it was time to pass it on to another family who needed it.

"It is just a good feeling because we have all been there and struggled," said Zora Manjencich.

On Monday, they all got to meet for the first time, getting to learn and share tips on how to use their new van.