Anthony’s used car programs are going to be in Jefferson City.
The director of Cars 4 Columbia met with the public at the United Way of Central Missouri offices. He gave a car to a Rape and Abuse Crisis Service client and shared details of his organization with other nonprofits.
Cars 4 Jefferson City is intended to serve transportation challenged low income residents and families in Cole County. The program gives access to vehicles that have been donated. It may be able to fix the nonprofits’ clients’ cars.
A Jefferson City nonprofit used to offer a service. Working Wheels for Working Family has provided gently used vehicles to families in Cole County for a decade.
Working Wheels took in cars and reconditioned them. The clients of The Car Guys paid what they could afford for repairs to their vehicles.
After the death of the nonprofit’s director, working wheels disappeared from public view. According to state records, the organization dissolved in July of 2021.
The president of the United Way of Central Missouri said she was surprised by the closing of Working Wheels. The United Way gave grants to it over the years, which helped with operations.
The transportation needs in Jefferson City have been there for a long time.
The United Way was trying to connect with Jefferson City resources or build relationships with other agencies.
The identified barrier to steady employment is transportation. People are fired because they can’t get to work if they work hard.
Mass transportation can’t meet all residents’ needs.
All types of transportation are needed for a community to be transportation- efficient. The bus system works well for some people.
Cars 4 Columbia has donated 36 cars to people in Columbia. There were a lot of people who needed transportation who couldn’t afford repairs to their cars. He said that his organization has repaired hundreds of cars.
He has mechanics who work for him. Josh often goes to clients’ homes to fix their cars. All efforts are done through a non profit.
The only real solution for a person with a transportation issue is their own vehicle, and that’s why we focus on the donating car program. A reliable vehicle is not just a vehicle.
The organization realized it could help more people by repairing their cars.
He said that cars 4 Jefferson City could help someone. Donated cars are not a permanent solution to a person’s transportation problems. Buying the driver a little time to get a better car is what donations do.
Good News Garage began in Vermont. Over the course of 25 years, the Good News Garage has given away more than 5,500 vehicles to families in Vermont.
Clients are responsible for the cost of repairs. He said that a number of nonprofits help with repairs.
A client of Cars 4 Columbia had a list of 20 repairs on his car. He said that the client had already spent more than $2,500 on repairs to the vehicle.
The car was not worth much, it was a money pit. He said a lot of clients spend a lot of money on vehicles but don’t have transportation afterwards.
Many people are trapped by a car that won’t meet their needs. He said that she might get into a different car at a discounted rate. It’s another way of making things right.
“Our job is to find a solution for the organization that we’re talking to.” We’ll find that solution even though we don’t know what it is.