Working Wheels for Working Families (WW4WF) is throwing another tool in its toolbox to help Mid-Missouri families find reliable transportation.
They are seeking church and civic organizations for their Adopt-a-Car program, which relies on the organizations to find and adopt a used vehicle that can be cleaned and reconditioned for a local family.
"We will work with organizations that want to take on this challenge and add support wherever they need it," said Julie Beck, founder and executive director of WW4WF. "For example, if an organization has found a vehicle that is in need of new tires to make it roadworthy, our program can pair them with one of our program sponsors - such as auto part stores, mechanics and local repair shops - to buy tires and even a mechanic to install them at a reduced rate."
She said ideally, the program is looking for organizations to find the vehicles and fund all or part of the repairs.
Founded last September, WW4WF's mission is to "help families in Cole County obtain or continue work by providing them with reliable transportation through a program of car repairs, vehicle replacement, related licensing services, car payments, down payments and car-care classes in Cole County."
Donors who donate a vehicle to the organization may receive the full, fair market value of their vehicle as a tax deduction.
WW4WF provided its first car to a family in 2013, and its goal for 2014 is to to put 20 working families in reliable transportation.
Beck said many applicants have completed the 10-page application that pre-qualifies them to receive a vehicle. Families must have no vehicle in their household, a parent must be working 30 hours a week or have a job offer, they must pass a criminal background check, they must be insurable and have no driving while intoxicated charges or driving under the influence charges, they must be at 200 percent of the federal poverty level or less and a parent must have a valid driver's license.
Once applicants receive a donated vehicle, they make small monthly payments to cover a portion of the value of the vehicle or they donate service hours back to WW4WF.
Beck said WW4WF's biggest challenge is finding vehicles and funding the cost to make them roadworthy.
"That is why we started the Adopt-a-Car program to solicit help from local civic and church organizations that want to help us in our efforts," she said.
If you or your organization would like to adopt, recondition or donate a vehicle or funds to WW4WF, email Beck at [email protected] or call 573-690-6484. You may visit the agency's website at www.ww4wf.com