July/August 2019
Newsletter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Update from the Road
|
July-August 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It Takes a Village - Funder, Car Donor and Veteran Recipient
Car Presentation
|
Sometimes all it takes is the community to come together to change someone's life! That's what happened on Monday, July 22nd when Florida Medical Clinic Foundation of Caring, Metropolitan Ministries, Joseph Harrison and Lisa Yob, and Diane Jamai joined forces to get H.V. into her "new to her" PT Cruiser.
H.V., a Navy/Marine veteran was referred to Wheels by our agency partner Metropolitan Ministries. Prior to that, she and her two kids had been living in a domestic violence shelter. Things have not always been easy for H.V. and her two children. To get anywhere, they had to rely on the bus, which can take two to three hours to get to locations that are only fifteen miles away.
Currently, H.V. is employed in the medical field, which makes this presentation a great pairing with the funder of the repairs of the vehicle, Florida Medical Clinic Foundation of Caring. They provided the funding to get the repairs for H.V's "new-to-her" PT Cruiser back on the road. On average, it averages about $3,000 to get a car road worthy. (Fortunately, this car was in good shape so the repairs were less.)
 After attending our annual Road Trip luncheon in May, Joseph Harrison and Lisa Yob decided to donate their PT Cruiser to our program and Wheels assigned it to H.V. who was "waiting for wheels".
Additionally, a gas card was presented to H.V through Diane Jamai. Diane has a Christmas party each year where guests are asked to bring a gas card to donate to Wheels instead of gifts. Joyously, H.V. and her kids left with a full tank!
This car will enable H.V. to get to work in less time and on time and even work overtime when requested. It will also allow her family the freedom to go to the beach, it will allow her son to participate in band, and for them to even go to Sonic for a drive through meal.
Wheels wishes H.V. and her kids the best as they continue on the road to success because sometimes the key to success is simply... a key.
|
This $6,000 check will help fund the repair of at least two cars and probably three this year, with our veteran's being the first.
|
|
I'm an Official Car Owner!
|
On the Road...
Fannie is 72 years old and her foster daughter is 13, she has been taking care of her since she was born. Fannie had a car but it broke down in 2012 and she went 6 years without a car. She worried about how she would make it to work as well as getting her foster daughter to school and the activities she was enrolled in. Her foster daughter chimed in, "It was pretty crazy - I would watch her stress out every month trying to come up with the money to pay for the rental car and she had to leave a lot in order to pick up the rental car and then return it when she did not have the money to rent it." She added, "I love the car my foster mom got because now things are calm, she does not have to stress out about not having a car or the money to rent a car. I get to go to Fossil Park more, and do more things at school."
Fannie told us, "I cried every day because I could not always pay for the rental car. It was heartbreaking - I was depressed, I lost weight, but mostly I was worried about my daughter not being able to go to her dance lessons which she loves, as well as her other activities." Fannie and her foster daughter both told us how much they love the 2005 Volvo S40 they received through Wheels of Success' "Build A Car/Build-A-Life" program. Because of the car, Fannie has been able to maintain employment and look for a better job. She was able to work more hours and different shifts now that she no longer had to worry about walking to work. In the past, she lost a job because she called off too many times when transportation fell through for her. The car allowed Fannie and her foster daughter to travel outside of the immediate area and visit family which was very important to them. They are regulars at their church now, attending bible study, teen youth group, Sunday services and other activities held by the church.
In addition to dance lessons, Tariah was also nominated for the Mayor's Award. Thanks to the Volvo, they were both able to attend the award ceremony, held at the Mahaffey Theater! Fannie told us, life is easier today, I do not have to worry like I used to. I cannot say enough good things about the program here and I am so grateful for what Wheels of Success did for me and my family!
|
|
No Longer Waiting for Wheels
|
G.S. is ready for life...
G.S. referred to our "Wheels to the Future" Program by
Ready for Life as a youth who aged out of foster care.
G.S. will be attending St. Pete College, but without a car, that would have been almost impossible. Thanks to Build-A-Car Funding from
Tomlin St Cyr Real Estate, we were able to get a 2-door Honda Civic graciously donated by the Jennifer Miller on behalf of her father who is now deceased.
|
SAVE THE DATE: 2nd Annual Casino Night
at The C House
|
.
Come play your best hand at our 2nd Annual Casino Night at
The C House
on Thursday, October 17th from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm. Try your luck at our Black Jack tables and have fun while supporting Wheels. If you missed our amazing silent auction at our Road Trip in May, you won't want to miss this chance to do your holiday shopping early with some fun items you can bid on at this Silent Auction!
October is Domestic Violence Month - Wheels will be presenting a new-to-her car to a DV survivor at the event!
Early bird prices for players are $75 per person or if you just want to attend (and not play Black Jack) it's only $25 per person to enjoy the fun atmosphere.
Maximum of 64 players - reserve your spot as space is limited!!
Early Bird pricing ends 9/15/19.
All tickets include 1st drink and hors' d' oeuvres from
The C House in Seminole Heights at 6005 N. Florida Ave.
Thanks to our sponsors"
McBreen Nowak, P.A.
and The C House!
|
You Can Help Working Families get their
"Keys to Success"
By Donating Today to
Help Build-A-Car!
|
Wheels of Success operates with a pay-it-forward philosophy.
Clients receiving a vehicle "buy" it from the program by making small monthly payments for 1 year. They also donate three hours of service monthly to the program. These fees help Wheels of Success assist additional clients and allow the recipients to pay-it-forward.
|
CALLING ALL CARS...
Runn
ing or Not
Donate your car to Wheels of Success
|
|
You receive the greatest tax advantage for your donation because we try not to sell your car at auction but present it to a family so you can deduct the fair market value of the vehicle.
|
Call (813) 995-5040 to learn more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ONGOING SPONSORS
Helping us make a difference in our community.
|
|
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
|
|
|
|
