Thanks to a program from the United Way of Bemidji Area, offered in part through Northwest Minnesota Foundation grant funding, more than two dozen families are now driving safer vehicles, thanks to needed car repairs and vehicle servicing.
Wheels to Work: Fueling Opportunities to Thrive, a program that runs through United Way partner agencies, held two Car Care Clinics last year, providing car repairs and services to 33 families. Many of those families received free safety repairs.
According to a final grant report from the United Way of Bemidji Area, each clinic had a different format, to best meet the needs of the families impacted.
One clinic, held in last spring, was offered over a month a half to families registered for the program. They were able to make an appointment for a free oil change, tire rotation, and safety inspection.
The clinics also offered free immediate safety repairs, according to the grant report. Some families received emergency repairs and services outside of the clinic’s timeframes.
While providing services to the community and helping the people who had car issues, the program also faced various challenges.
“We had more families and individuals ask for a spot in the Car Care Clinics than we had room for and we also had many emergency vehicle repair requests that we had to turn down, due to a lack of funding and the nature of the program,” United Way of Bemidji Area reported.
NMF strives to build better lives for all who call Northwest Minnesota home.
“We are incredibly grateful to NMF’s support and could not have had as successful a year as we had without [the] financial support,” United Way of Bemidji Area reported.
Samantha (not her real name), was one of the community members who benefitted from the services through the program. She’s a single mother of three and holds a full-time job. She described the Wheels to Work program as a “lifesaver” and felt grateful that programs like this exist.
“My vehicle is my only means of transportation to get us back and forth to our appointments and school and work,” she said. “The Wheels to Work program helped me to get my vehicle fixed at a time I couldn’t afford to do it myself.”