In celebration of Independence Day, 10 local individuals now have the freedom to more easily get to their jobs, schools, grocery stores and health care facilities with the presentation of their own car from Heritage | MileOne Autogroup through Vehicles for Change’s affordable car ownership program. Representatives from both organizations were joined by Maryland Secretary of Labor Portia Wu, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Maryland State Delegates Regina Boyce (District 43A) and Dalya Attar (District 41) and others to present the new owners with their keys earlier today at Heritage Toyota Owings Mills, 9801 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills, MD 21117.
Both Heritage | MileOne Autogroup and Vehicles for Change firmly believe that transportation can transform lives. Recipients can enjoy community and social activities such as sports programs and attend their preferred place of worship when they have reliable transportation that gives them the freedom to do so. Being able to use their personal car as opposed to public transportation also allows for more time to be spent with their families and loved ones.
Since partnering with Vehicles for Change in 2017, MileOne Autogroup and its corporate giving program MileOneCares have donated more than 200 vehicles – including the 10 vehicles awarded today, June 27 — valued at over $1.5 million, to families in need of transportation. In addition, MileOne Autogroup has hired 12 auto technicians from Vehicles for Change’s Full Circle Training Program, a re-entry program for ex-offenders and under/unemployed individuals.
In March 2022, MileOne Autogroup launched MileOneCares, its corporate giving program that encompasses all its philanthropic efforts, primarily focused on transportation-related initiatives such as its partnership with Vehicles for Change. Founded in 1999, Vehicles for Change has empowered low-income families to achieve economic and personal independence by providing them with access to transportation through its affordable car ownership program. For as little as $950, eligible families become self-sufficient through ownership of their own vehicle.
The recipients of the cars are:
- Baltimore City resident Laquan Barlow, a mother of three, will use the new freedom she receives with reliable transportation to work at Social Services as a security guard. Access to a car gives her the independence to go and come as she pleases and to work at a job that provides better pay, better hours and the ability to spend more time with her children.
- Traci Franklin of Baltimore City, who has three children. Because she didn’t have access to a car, they haven’t been able to enjoy activities like going to the park. Traci spends close to 90 minutes each day getting to her job at GBMC. Free of the restrictions of public transportation and ride share, Traci will now only spend 20 minutes commuting, allowing her to spend more time with her children and less time getting to work.
- Anne Arundel County resident Shayla Pratt, a single parent who works at Bay Country Learning Center. She has been spending about $400 per month on travel expenses. Now that she has a car, she will not only be able to save on her expenses, but she will be able to change her work hours so she can spend more time with her daughter.
- Breanna Chambers of Baltimore County, who is raising three children and works for KMA Cleaning Solutions. Breanna has been constantly frustrated that she needs to take several buses and trains to get to school and work.
- Moesha Washington of Reisterstown (Baltimore County), who works in different nursing homes. Not having reliable transportation has made it difficult for her to get to work and get her daughter to school. Moesha will no longer rely on others to get around and is excited to be able to drive to her mom’s house for a visit.
- Tekeya Mayfield of Baltimore City, who knows all about public transportation as a driver for the MTA. Her days of taking the bus for personal reasons are gone. Now that she has a car, she will get home from work at a reasonable hour, leaving her time to spend with her children, to cook a meal and to enjoy conversation with her family. She will now easily be able to get to the grocery store, the mall and Walmart, and she will no longer have to depend on friends for rides.
- Kaneshia McCaffity, who is raising her daughter in Baltimore County and struggles to take her places because she does not have a car. Her life will change now that she can do all of the things she has been saying “no” to! She is excited to take her daughter to Urban Air to celebrate the end of the school year.
- Angel McCall of Prince George’s County, who works at a Senior Housing Facility. She has been relying on others to get around, especially when getting to work and appointments. She plans to celebrate her new vehicle by taking a trip to the car wash!
- Baltimore County’s Brandy Bennett, who struggles to get her daughter to daycare. It has also been difficult for her to get to work on time because she doesn’t have a car. Having access to a car will allow her to get to work on time and will make it easier to get around.
- Dennis McConville of Carroll County, who is looking forward to going to the doctor and to the grocery store with his car.
About MileOneCares
In 2022, MileOne Autogroup launched MileOneCares, its corporate giving program encompassing all philanthropic efforts across the company’s franchises in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina as part of its Hall, Heritage, Herb Gordon, Annapolis and MotorWorld divisions. Since MileOne’s founding in 1997, the company has donated funds, volunteer hours and vehicles to hundreds of nonprofit organizations throughout the communities where its employees work and live. Under MileOneCares, the company primarily focuses its philanthropic outreach on transportation-related initiatives. MileOneCares also supports the company’s 3,800 employees through the NextMile Scholarship Program; the MileOne Support Fund, which provides financial assistance in times of disaster or emergency hardship; in addition to an employee-nominated grant program, in which employees can apply for funds to support causes to which they are personally connected. For more information on the program, visit www.mileonecares.com.
About MileOne Autogroup
MileOne Autogroup represents 75 franchises with 24 automotive brands along with 54 Service Centers in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina as part of the Hall, Heritage, Herb Gordon, Annapolis and MotorWorld divisions. The MileOne Autogroup model provides for all of 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. For more information on MileOne, visit www.mileone.com.
About Vehicles for Change
Vehicles for Change (VFC) accepts and repairs donated cars and awards them to pre-qualified families for as little as $950, enabling low-income families to become self-sufficient. As a nonprofit organization, VFC receives 99 percent of its car donations from the public. Since 1999, VFC has awarded more than 7,600 cars to low-income families, changing the lives of more than 26,000 people. Eligible families are referred to VFC through partnering social service-type agencies. Our Full Circle Training Program interns repair donated vehicles as a part of their hands-on training. Full Circle Training Program is an employer-driven, paid internship, social enterprise program designed to provide auto mechanic training to individuals with multiple barriers to employment, including many recently released from prison. VFC car donors gain a substantial tax advantage unavailable to most other charities. For additional information about Vehicles for Change or to donate a vehicle, visit www.vehiclesforchange.org or call 410-242-9674.
