BUFFALO, N.Y. -- St. Mary's School for the Deaf is usually the one receiving donations from the public, but this summer the students at St. Mary's were able to give back to the community by helping those who protect it. 

The relationship between the students at St. Mary's School for the Deaf and the NFTA Police K-9 Unit began in February when the Department brought Saber in for a demonstration. 

"In a question and answer session afterwords it came up why Saber didn't have a vest and at that time it was just financially not feasible at that time," said St. Mary's School for the Deaf Athletic Director Jim Carmody. 

"We have 10 K-9s in our unit, but we only have two patrol-narcotics detection K-9s and these are the K-9s that could be sent into a building search they've been out on tracking of bank robbers or other people they're trying to track so they're the ones that go into harm's way on a regular basis and these K-9s didn't have ballistic vests," said NFTA Police Chief George Gast.

So the kids set out to help this summer. They started collecting loose change and fund raising, trying to reach a goal of $1,200. -- enough for one ballistic vest. 

But after raising more than $2,500, the school paid for two vests and two med kits that go the dogs.