When a late-night fire destroyed Habitat for Humanity’s work truck in Watsonville, PM Landscaping owner Paolo Manca saw an opportunity to help and acted on it.
On a late Monday night in February 2026, a fire broke out at the ReStore thrift shop on Main Street in Watsonville the retail arm of Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay. The blaze completely destroyed a Ford F550 pickup truck parked at the rear loading area of the building, a vehicle that played a central role in the organization’s construction and donation-pickup operations.
News of the fire spread quickly, and among those who took notice was Paolo Manca, owner of PM Landscaping Services. Paolo saw the story covered on the local news and felt compelled to act. Without hesitation, he reached out to the Habitat for Humanity team and offered to donate a trailer which the organization could either use directly or sell to help fund the replacement of their lost truck.
“When I saw what happened, I knew we had something that could help. It was the right thing to do.”
— Paolo Manca, Owner, PM Landscaping Services
The donation was coordinated quickly. Roselyn Manca, Paolo’s wife, personally drove out to Watsonville to deliver the trailer to the Habitat for Humanity team.
Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay confirmed the donation and expressed gratitude for the swift community response. As of the time of publication, the organization was still welcoming additional support particularly a truck donation to fully restore their operations.
Coverage of the original incident: The Pajaronian — “Blaze destroys Habitat for Humanity truck” · KSBW Action News 8
