Once Homeless Sacramento Woman Gets Big Surprise

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A formerly homeless Sacramento woman got a big surprise as part of a program that's been around for more than three decades.

The dinner on Thursday night at Plates Cafe started off like any other. The St. John's shelter program runs the restaurant and holds a fundraiser each month, providing the homeless women they help with on the job training.

Keynote speaker Patricia Monteiro has been in the program for more than a year, recovering from drug addiction and homelessness, but little did she know she was about to get a big surprise. A 2011 Nissan with a big bow on top was donated by an insurance company after it was previously stolen. Workers at Caliber Collision volunteered to fix it up.

She says she's overwhelmed by the generosity.

"I never expected this; it's truly a blessing," she said.