Organizations came together to award cars to deserving residents in Virginia for first time
MileOne Autogroup’s Hall Division and nonprofit Vehicles for Change came together at Hall Toyota Virginia Beach to present cars to three families from the Hampton Roads area whose lives will be transformed by having access to personal transportation. This is the first time the two organizations have partnered to present vehicles to low-income families in Virginia.
Both Hall | MileOne Autogroup and Vehicles for Change firmly believe that transportation is transformative. Access to transportation gives the recipients the freedom to more readily get to their jobs, schools, grocery stores, and health care facilities. They can also enjoy community and social activities such as sports programs for their children and attend their preferred place of worship.
Since 1999, Vehicles for Change has empowered low-income families to achieve economic and personal independence by providing them with access to transportation. As part of its longstanding partnership with Vehicles for Change, MileOne Autogroup has committed more than 170 vehicles, valued at over $1 million, to families in need of transportation and hired nine auto technicians from Vehicles for Change’s Full Circle Training Program, a re-entry program for ex-offenders and under/unemployed individuals.
Today’s recipients, Nakita Outlaw, Cassandra Foster and Chardone Smithers, are all hard-working mothers who are dedicated to their families and their jobs. With this access to reliable transportation, they can spend less time commuting so they have more time to take their children to school and activities, explore, further their educations and simply, spend more time with the people they love.
“Today is a reminder of the potential that all of us have to make an impact in our community,” said Bill Baker, division president of Hall.
Today, Nakita Outlaw received a 2013 Chrysler. She is a 34-year-old mother of four currently living in Hampton Beach, VA. For the last two years, Ms. Outlaw has been working at a computer software company as part of the janitorial team. Her commute to work is currently an hour, and she relies on family and friends to help with her transportation needs. While she is grateful to them, she is excited to provide transportation for her own family. Once she receives her new car, her commute will be reduced to 16 minutes.
Cassandra Foster received a 2013 Hyundai. She is a 30-year-old mother of two and is a new resident of Norfolk, VA. Ms. Foster is a Personal Care Aide and is also a nursing student. She relies on family to get around and although she lives 10 miles from her job, it takes her 30-45 minutes to get to work. Relying on family can cause her to be late for work, and ride sharing services are too expensive. With the newly awarded vehicle, Ms. Foster’s commute will be reduced to 20 minutes and she will be able to take her children to doctor’s appointments.
Chardone Smithers received a 2012 Chevy. She is a 26-year-old mother who lives in Hampton, Virginia with her young daughter. She has worked as a teacher for approximately three years. She holds both a certificate in early childhood education as well as one in veterinary assistance. Ms. Smithers would love to go back to school to further her education. She currently uses ride shares and public transportation to get to work, spending about 45 minutes daily and $50-$70 weekly on her commute. With this new vehicle, the commute will only be 10 minutes.
MileOne Autogroup represents 25 automotive brands with 80 franchises operating at 48 dealership locations and nine body shops under the Hall, Heritage, Herb Gordon, Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis and MotorWorld divisions. The MileOne Autogroup model provides for all the automotive needs of its customers conveniently, on their own terms. MileOne Autogroup is the largest automotive sales and service delivery network in the Mid-Atlantic area with dealerships located throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina. For more information on MileOne, visit www.mileone.com.
Vehicles for Change (VFC) is an innovative nonprofit organization that accepts and repairs donated cars, providing reliable transportation to worthy families while offering valuable automotive technician training to those in need. Since 1999, VFC has empowered more than 6,800 low-income families across Maryland, Virginia, and Michigan, to achieve economic and personal independence. Cars are awarded at a low cost to qualified individuals that apply through social service partnering agencies. Through the Full Circle Auto Repair and Training Center, VFC works with ex-offenders and under/unemployed individuals, trains them to become Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)-certified mechanics, and places them in meaningful employment opportunities. VFC’s Full Circle Auto Repair and Training Center is a full-service automotive garage—a social enterprise that funds the mission of the organization and provides discounted service with a labor rate that is almost 30% less than most repair shops in the area. For additional information about Vehicles for Change, or to donate a vehicle, visit www.vehiclesforchange.
