North Brunswick Midas Donates A Car To Local Single Mother Of 8

NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — On Dec. 16, the North Brunswick Midas auto repair shop donated a refurbished Chrysler 200 to North Brunswick woman Shanell Salley, who is the mother of eight children.

Midas, a chain of automotive service centers, did the donation through its nationwide Midas Project Spark program, which helps families get back on the road to independence.

Salley's children are ages 2 to 18, who she is raising on her own. This year, her partner — the father of her youngest child — died in an incident of violence, and her mother died just days later. Soon after, her best friend also died, leaving her without the support system she depended on and she and her children were pushed into homelessness.

With support from Lunchbreak Family Promise of Monmouth County, Salley is getting back on her feet.

Transportation, however, has remained her biggest barrier. After her car broke down years ago, she has since relied on walking, Uber and public transit to get to work and care for her family.

When Brian Beers and Collin Hamel of Prenlyn Auto Group, which owns the North Brunswick Midas, learned about Salley's story, they stepped in to help. With parts donated by Advance Auto Parts and support from Lunchbreak Family Promise, the Midas team donated their time to restore the Chrysler 200, ensuring it would be safe, reliable and ready for the road.

The donated car will allow Salley to safely transport her children, pursue better job opportunities and finally move forward without daily obstacles holding her back. Lunchbreak Family Promise is helping her get the car insurance and registration.