The family of the six-year-old Oregon boy publicly shamed for being late to school thought they were simply getting their car repaired when they were surprised with a newly refurbished minivan. Hunter Cmelo's parents Nicole Garloff and Mark Cmelo were told their Dodge Durango had been repaired after local Medford businesses heard he was late because their car was old and unreliable. But when the family arrived at Kelly's Automotive, they was presented with a 2001 Chrysler minivan, complete with a new windshield, two new tires and free oil changes for a year. Scroll down for video . The family of the six-year-old Hunter Cmelo, who was forced into eating his lunch behind a screen because his parents dropped him off one minute late to school, have been gifted a refurbished minivan (pictured) The photograph of the boy forced into eating his lunch behind a screen attracted global attention and shamed the school to change its detention policy for tardiness. But it was a local radio host who came up with the idea to get the family a reliable car. Bill Meyer saw the photograph of Hunter after Garloff posted it on her Facebook and immediately wanted to help the family tackle the 'root of the problem'. 'I saw the school policy as being unjust, but I saw the root of the trouble was car trouble,' he told ABC News. Meyer initially enlisted the help of Kelly's Automotive owner Lisa McClease-Kelly to repair the family's Dodge, but she soon realized the repairs would cost more 'than what the car was actually worth'. That's when local company Rapid Repo and Collections stepped in and offered to donate the Chrysler. Fellow businesses in the Medford and Grants Pass neighborhood chipped in to outfit the car with updated parts. They also gave the family a $100 gas card and two $60 gift cards, according to OregonLive. McClease-Kelly, who contributed an additional $1,400 worth of repairs, said the family was completely taken by surprise with the gift. Local radio host Bill Meyer saw the photo of  Hunter eating alone behind this cardboard divider and said he saw 'the school policy as unjust' and wanted to get to the root of the problem - the family's frequent car trouble . The school district said that the system is supposed to give children the chance to catch up on work they have missed by being late - but staff have now agreed to stop using the screen . 'When I handed dad Mark the key to the minivan, he was speechless and extremely grateful,' she told OregonLive. Meyer said all it took was a little 'nudge' to help the deserving family. 'The family never asked for the help. All they ever wanted was to change school policy' he told ABC News. 'Everyone else came in with their time and generosity.' As for Hunter's family, they said the outpouring of community support still 'doesn't seem real'. 'I'm trying to tell Hunter that this doesn't just happen to you,' Garloff said. Last month, Hunter's picture was shared around the Internet as Nicole and Mark shared their outrage at their son's treatment. In the photograph, Hunter can be seen sitting alone behind a cardboard divider at a cafeteria table. Close by is a cup with a large letter 'D' for 'detention'. His grandmother, Laura Hoover, shared the image to her Facebook page. As for Hunter's family, they said the outpouring of community support still 'doesn't seem real'. His mother Nicole Garloff said: 'I'm trying to tell Hunter that this doesn't just happen to you' 'This is my grandson, Hunter. He's a little first grader,' she wrote. 'His momma's car sometimes doesn't like to start right up. Sometimes he's a couple of minutes late to school. 'Yesterday, he was one minute late and this is what his momma discovered they do to punish him! They have done this to him six times for something that is out of his control! 'They make a mockery of him in front of the other students.' She said that his mother found Hunter crying and took him home. His parents said they were devastated when they found out what their son was going through. 'They are shaming him for something that's not in his control,' Cmelo told KOIN6. 'It is our fault that he is late.' Principal Missy Fitzsimmons immediately reached out to the parents after receiving complaints and agreed to stop using the partition as a punishment. 'As a result of the concerns raised, the district ended the learning catch-up location at Lincoln Elementary School,' the Grants Pass District said in a statement. 'Going forward, a separate, supervised classroom has been designated for necessary catch-up work.' Lincoln Elementary School in Grants Pass, Oregon has agreed to stop using the partition as punishment and have designated a separate, supervised classroom for 'necessary catch-up work'
Hunter Cmelo's family were told their old Dodge Durango had been repaired . Were surprised with a 2001 Chrysler minivan with a new windshield and tires . Radio host Bill Meyer came up with the idea to help family get a reliable car . Saw photograph of Hunter's punishment for being late to school . Community pitched in to get the family a different car after mechanic realized repairs would cost more than the car . School ended detention policy, said they have designated a new  separate room for late students to complete 'necessary catch-up work'