Carthage Crisis Center purchases a new van

CARTHAGE, Mo. — A nonprofit has a new set of wheels to help its residents get back on their feet.

The Carthage Crisis Center recently purchased a nearly $6,000 2009 Chrysler Town & Country van.

The seven passenger van was purchased with money from a $2,500 grant from the Carthage Community Foundation.

“We had another van, but what would happen is we wouldn’t have enough vehicles to transport people. We transport them to doctors appointments, probation and parole. All kinds of other things. When people are getting back acclimated into society there’s a lot of things they need to take care of. So our biggest problem was we didn’t have enough vehicles,” said Jim Benton, Carthage Crisis Center Executive Director.

With the two vans the center can now transport 20 residents at a time and pick up food donations.

WATCH: Van pulling a trailer bursts into flames

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Authorities in Arkansas dealt with an unusual vehicle fire last week.

Fayetteville police say a white van pulling a trailer burst into flames while on the move. One officer tried to contain the blaze with a fire extinguisher while waiting for fire crews to arrive. Officials say weather conditions were favorable. Had it been windy and dry, the flames may have spread.

There were no injuries reported in this incident. Fire department officials say the van likely overheated.

Watered Gardens donates vehicle to Four-State mother

JOPLIN, Mo. – When you’re thinking about donating to a local charity, you don’t have to think in terms of just cash. There are other donations that could be just as life changing for people in need, like a car.

Someone donated a 2006 Toyota Sienna van to Watered Gardens Ministry. Watered Gardens gave that car to Teddi Jones, a mother at their Washington Family Hope Center.

“They were super excited,” said Jones when asked how her kids reacted. “They kept asking me, ‘Did you get your tags? Did you get your tags?’ And yesterday when when I got the tags, I got home and they’re like, ‘Lets go driving!’ And I said ‘Well we’re going to drive to church and that’s where we are going.’”

Watered Gardens Ministries thanks everyone for their donations over the years, big or small.

A funeral home van with a body inside was stolen in Missouri

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Police in St. Louis County, Missouri, are searching for a funeral home van that was stolen Thursday with the body of an adult female inside.

The white cargo van was stolen after the driver stopped at a convenience store shortly after 10 a.m., according to police. The van was left unattended and running.

Neither the van, belonging to the William C. Harris Funeral Home, nor the body have been recovered, police said.

Police are looking for a man and women seen in surveillance video inside the convenience store who they say might have additional information.

The funeral home told CNN it did not have a comment on the stolen van and body at this time.