Welcome to "Driving Change," your monthly connection to all things Vehicles for Change. If you're no longer interested in receiving our updates, please unsubscribe below. Just know you will be missed!
A Message from our President
We at VFC have had the pleasure of seeing thousands of smiling faces since our beginning more than 20 years ago. If you are considering donating a vehicle, now is the time . Your act of kindness might be needed more at this moment than ever before. Continue reading to find out why...

Sincerely,
Martin "Marty" Schwartz
President
Our Mission at Work
Despite COVID-19 drawbacks, our mission is still hard at work. Over the past few weeks we've steadily awarded vehicles to families in need - socially distant, of course! Here are just a few recipients who we've had the pleasure to serve recently:
Ashley I.
Referred to us by the Center for Urban Families, Ashley is 25-years-old and a mother of one little girl, with another on the way. Currently 32 weeks pregnant, she lives in Dundalk with her supportive boyfriend who does everything he can to ensure Ashley is taken care of and makes it to her doctor’s appointments. But, because he works full time, that is not always possible, leaving Ashley forced to rely on public transportation or costly ride sharing apps to help her get from point A to point B. As she navigates through the next few weeks of her pregnancy, Ashley cannot wait for what the future has in store for her and her family. With her new vehicle, a green Nissan Altima, she plans to enroll in classes at a local community college, where she will work toward earning her RN.

When asked what she might say to the donor of her new vehicle, here was her reply:
“Thank you SO much! When I received the call [from Vehicles for Change] saying that I was eligible for the program, my heart dropped. I was overjoyed just thinking about the options this vehicle will present me and my family. I can’t wait for the day that I’m stable enough to help others in need. Thank you a million times over!” 
Karen C.
Ms. Karen is a single mom of four children and works as a child support case manager with a local government agency who relies on public transportation. To get to work each day, which is miles away from her home, she has to rely on public transportation, often waiting hours on end for her bus to show. Meanwhile, her nine-year-old son was forced to walk to school by themselves, simply because Ms. Crespo could not be in two places at once. Now, with her new minivan, she looks forward to safely taking her children to-and-from school and doctor's appointments. She's also looking forward to the opportunity of hauling a week's worth of groceries all at once - a feat not possible when she was riding the bus!
Your unused or unwanted car, truck or van could be a family's ride out of poverty. Consider donating it to help a VFC family in need!
Celebrating Our Educator
Earlier this month, we celebrated National Teacher Appreciation Week by honoring our very own Mr. Wayne Farrar. If you're not familiar, Mr. Wayne is the “nuts and bolts” behind the success of our automotive training program , having trained more than 130 formerly incarcerated men and women to become Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)-certified auto mechanics since the program's inception.

Prior to coming to us, Mr. Wayne was an instructor and supervisor at  Lincoln Tech  for nearly thirty years, where he contributed to the education of THOUSANDS of students looking to learn the automotive trade.

We are grateful for his leadership in the classroom and dedication toward our cause, even if it meant us pulling him out of retirement five years ago. Thank you, Mr. Wayne – we appreciate you!
Full Circle Waverly Renovations Under Way
Late last year, we announced that our Waverly Full Circle Auto Repair & Training Center was getting a face lift. In case you missed it, you can read about it in the Baltimore Business Journal HERE .

Progress is well under way - and started with a thorough cleansing of the facility (see photos below). We look forward to celebrating the grand re-opening of this location with you in July, 2020!

Please note that our Halethorpe facility is open for all of your automotive service needs, from brakes and rotors to oil changes and more. Call (410) 242-3168 to schedule an appointment at a labor rate 30% less than our competitors.
Seeking a Quality Used Vehicle?
Like our Full Circle Auto Repair & Training Center in Halethorpe, our Freedom Wheels used car lot is open for business! We invite you to shop our inventory online .

See something you like? Please note that test drives are scheduled by appointment ONLY at this time. To schedule an appointment, please contact Oliver Simmons at OSimmons@vehiclesforchange.org or 410-242-9674.

Funds generated through Freedom Wheels sales directly support the mission of Vehicles for Change.
Thank you for reading. See you next month!