Client 213: A Survivor Overcomes

This brave mom (name withheld for safety) and her two young daughters fled domestic violence earlier this year and arrived in Bryan/College Station to build a new life. They moved in to Twin City Missions’ shelter and participated in their housing program, but didn’t want to stay there for longer than necessary. Even though this mom has been through severe trauma, she simply won’t give up. She now works 13 hour days plus weekends to provide for her girls, and as a result, they’ve been able to move into an apartment of their own. However, she has no vehicle and no family to rely on, which has made life incredibly challenging.

Her case manager at Twin City Mission noticed this mom’s desperate need for a reliable car, and so, nominated her to OnRamp. Her case manager shared how impressed she was with this mom’s honesty, hard work, and faithfulness to attend peer support group meetings every week even without a car to drive there. This is precisely the type of client we look for, and we immediately accepted her into our program. How could we say ‘no’ to a survivor like her?!

Last week, we gifted a reliable Honda Civic to this deserving mom and her daughters. When asked what she was most looking forward to doing with the new car, she said, “Take my girls to the park!” When you don’t have a car and Uber costs an arm-and-a-leg, discretionary trips like taking your kids to the park become a luxury mom’s can’t afford. She couldn’t wait to take her girls to Central Park for the first time to see the Christmas lights.

There are so many more deserving, hard-working parents like this in need of reliable vehicles in 2025. Can you help us serve them by making a year-end donation to OnRamp? We have a matching gift of $13,000 provided by two long-time donors. Please help us claim this matching gift by donating to OnRamp HERE between now and the end of the year. Every dollar helps transform lives for generations to come.

Client (in blue) with her advocate (middle) surrounded by (from left), OnRamp board member, Rami, Client Care Director, Taylor (with just one of her triplets!!), Prayer Team lead, Diane, and President, Blake.

Pictures and story shared with client permission.

Looking into the Future: Robotaxis

What does the future hold for automotive charities like OnRamp? I’ve spent a few days researching that question and crunching numbers, and the results may surprise you. We may be a charitable fleet of robotaxis in the not too distant future! Let me explain.

In the chart below, you’ll see a comparison of total costs over five years for two main options OnRamp may have in the future: continuing to gift a vehicle to a client vs. subsidizing a rideshare program such as Uber or Lyft. The costs for donations and repairs all reflect current 2024 numbers in our charitable program, through 212 vehicles donated so far.

Not surprisingly, the winner completely depends on client miles per year and cost per mile in the rideshare option because in that option, total price is 1:1 (highly) dependent on those two variables. Current national rideshare average cost is $2.40 per mile with Uber and Lyft, and BCS is a bit higher because trips are short and supply of rideshare vehicles is low. I calculated an average of $3 per mile over a set of sample Bryan/College Station trips. At that price, the rideshare option is a non-starter, costing multiple times our current program costs to donate and support vehicles. Note that the costs are totaled for five years rather than one year since our plan has always been to give 5 years of reliable transportation to our clients. Typically the donated car is used up and worth next to nothing at the end of that time, which is why I have not included it as an asset to sell at the end of five years.

But here's where it gets interesting. Tesla has stated that their autonomous taxi will cost $.30-40 per mile as a rideshare fleet vehicle. That's staggeringly low, even beating public transport per mile. For some safety margin, let's double that cost to $.80 per mile. The rideshare option actually becomes quite compelling for clients needing less than 10k miles per year. If Tesla actually succeeds at hitting $.40 per mile, I don’t see us ever giving a vehicle away again except in special circumstances such as very large families, work trucks, or wheelchair vehicles. To service most clients, we would simply provide free or subsidized rides through a fleet of autonomous robotaxis that we either own or lease.

So what do you think? Where am I off? What options or critiques would you add to the conversation?

And on that note, does anyone know anyone at Tesla who would want to discuss this? A partnership between Tesla and an automotive charity like OnRamp could help thousands of struggling individuals and families access essential transportation, and could create significant positive publicity for Tesla. There’s a real win-win opportunity here if we can ever get a foot in the door!

Hard Work Brings Success for Jae

Here is a massively encouraging success story for your lunchtime read! Jae has been an amazing OnRamp client this past year, and we want to update you on her progress now that she has her donated vehicle.

This single mom of three had done everything in her power to create a safe and flourishing home for her children even before getting her OnRamp vehicle. She completed Reach Project’s 28-week Entrepreneurship class and worked through Brazos County’s Family Self-Sufficiency program. That hard work motivated her mentor to nominate her to OnRamp for a minivan, which we gifted her one year ago.

What has she done with that vehicle? She’s completed two additional employment certifications which led to a substantial raise at work! She’s now a repair technician who changes the oil for all the CSISD buses we see around town. Before the vehicle, she was earning $2800 per month and needed government benefits to make enough to cover her bills. Now a year later, she earns $4000 a month in her new job; $5000 when overtime is authorized! She works every hour she can get, and as a result, is almost fully off of all government assistance. She has also enrolled in the Reach Project’s Home Ownership program to help her one day buy a home. The OnRamp van gets her to classes and to work, and gets her kids to church every Sunday. Speaking of her kids, with that raise at work, she’s been able to open a savings account for her kids to go to college! She’s using this vehicle to unlock a new and better future for her kids, and she’s taking great care of this investment by attending OnRamp’s Car Care Clinic to learn how to maintain her vehicle and ensure it lasts as long as possible. In the world of charitable work, you will rarely see such a high rate-of-return as this investment in Jae’s life!

To help OnRamp serve more clients like Jae, please consider donating to our Hand Up end-of-year campaign. And if you are one of the first to donate $500 or more, you will receive a *free*, exclusive Benjamin Knox Texas A&M puzzle as our thank-you! Here’s the link to the puzzle donation. This puzzle is perfect for the Aggie fan in your life. These limited-edition puzzles are available on a first-come, first-served basis until all 20 are claimed. Want to donate more than $500 and still receive a puzzle? Simply select “Custom Amount” while making your donation and enter any amount above $500. Spread holiday cheer and make a difference!

Happy Thanksgiving to Client 212!

Today we give THANKS for Willie, a 78-year-old widow in Bryan who just became OnRamp’s 212th client!

Willie is such a kind and loving woman. She sings in her church choir and serves with her Empty Nesters Sunday School class at First Baptist Bryan. After Willie’s husband died, she was left with significant financial challenges made tougher by her lack of a vehicle. She couldn’t reliably get to doctor’s appointments, church, the grocery store, and could not seek out a job to help supplement her fixed income. As her advocate, Jim, stated, “She wants to have the freedom to go back and forth without being a burden to others, especially her church - she loves her church and she loves to sing in the choir.”

Fortunately, Jim and the rest of her Sunday School class found out about OnRamp and nominated her to us. She was a slam dunk applicant! How could we not help this deserving woman?! So yesterday we gifted a beautiful blue Toyota Corolla to Willie, purchased with funds donated by many of you! Willie could hardly believe how God had so thoughtfully provided for her, and couldn’t wait to show her new wheels off to her Sunday School class.

Board and Vehicle Team member Rami Cerone showing Willie the features of her new Corolla.

As we enter into Thanksgiving, we invite you to give thanks with us for how God has used and continues to use OnRamp to care for widows like Willie. Who would have thought He’d allow us to donate reliable cars to over 200 Brazos Valley clients in just seven years?!

This is also the season when we, like all charities, need to raise most of our annual budget. If you can make a year end gift to OnRamp as part of our Hand Up campaign, please visit our GIVE page. You can donate online or by check, stock or RMD transfer, or by donating a used vehicle. Also, visit our new STORE to buy OnRamp shirts and hats to help us spread the word and connect with more supporters as we seek to grow throughout Texas.

Rami with Willie (center) and her advocate Jim (right).

Client 210: Devoted Daughter, Wife, and Grandmother

Denise and Ruben, a very loving, very grateful couple!

Denise, our 210th OnRamp client, epitomizes the HAND UP concept. She has already been doing the heavy-lifting for years. In addition to working full time as a delivery driver at a local flower shop, she provides primary care to multiple family members suffering major health challenges. She took care of her mother who was disabled due to a major stroke. After her mom passed away, Denise continued to care for her elderly father who now lives with her and requires frequent medical care and doctor visits. She also helps to care for her multiple grandchildren. She and her husband Ruben carried these burdens together until, tragically, Ruben suffered a major stroke earlier this year, leaving him unable to walk, drive, or work. After he lost his job due to the stroke, the family had to let go of their vehicle because they could no longer afford the payments. Denise was left as the sole caregiver without the essential tool of a vehicle to keep her family afloat.

Fortunately, Sara, her manager who has known her for years, nominated her to OnRamp. Sara told us, “Denise is a very giving person… She has worked at Aggieland Flowers for about four years as our delivery driver and does the best job of anyone who we have ever had for this position. She is beyond trustworthy and responsible… She has been juggling coming into work and taking care of her husband with his rehabilitation, [yet] still makes it into work every day and helps her family and friends without complaint.” How can we not dig deep to give a HAND UP to a woman such as her?!

Thanks to generous OnRamp donors, we were privileged to give this reliable Toyota Corolla to Denise last week, the 40th Corolla OnRamp has donated so far! Unfortunately, we are running very low on funds and have multiple more women like Denise in need of our help. As we near the end of 2024, can you give, whether a little or a lot, to help us give an essential HAND UP to more clients like her? To donate online or by check or stock/fund, please visit our GIVE page.

A 3-Part Post-Election Prayer

It is November 6, 2024, the day after Donald Trump secured another presidential term. Here is a three-part prayer that covers us all today.

For our friends who are grieving the results of last night’s election or fearing what legislation might come next, may God grant peace in abundance. May he show himself a strong comforter and faithful father today.

For our friends who are celebrating the results of last night’s election, may God grant perspective to see those who are hurting and have compassion upon them. May they have humility and grace in victory today remembering that love matters infinitely more than politics.

And for all of us, may we give thanks that we had the opportunity to vote in what seems to have been a free and fair election without persecution. That is not true in so much of the world, and not something to be taken for granted. Most important of all, may we now refocus ourselves on the critical task ahead: sacrificially loving and serving others, especially the hurting and vulnerable, the poor and oppressed. This is our calling no matter who is in office.

A Hand Up: Jamie's Amazing Progress

Here’s a truly inspiring update on our 57th client, an amazing single mom named Jamie who received a Honda from OnRamp in 2021. Since then, she has used this vehicle to accomplish so much for herself, her kids, and her church community. Here’s the highlights:

1.  2021 - It faithfully got me to and from my job, church, and Celebrate Recovery program. It allowed me to get a better paying job a little further from my home and serve as the women's ministry leader at Celebrate Recovery. 

2.  2022  - It allowed me to start a small party rental side business and continue to serve at Celebrate Recovery. 

3.  2023 - It drove me to and from Chemo and a plethora of doctor visits while I underwent breast cancer treatments and continued to work and serve in my recovery program. And by God’s grace, I am now CANCER FREE!!

4.  2024 - It has continued to bless our family and helped me move to a new house as I continue to serve as ministry leader at Celebrate Recovery.

The Honda we gave Jamie back in 2021 provided the HAND UP she needed to build a stable foundation for herself and her kids; a foundation strong enough to survive cancer. Best of all, God is now using Jamie to give that same HAND UP to other women in need through her leadership and service with Celebrate Recovery at Grace Bible Church. Listen to what one of the women Jamie mentored has to say about her…

I LOVE Jamie with EVERY OUNCE of my being! She is my sister in Christ and sponsor for life. We met three years ago through an amazing ministry called Celebrate Recovery. She took me under her wing and helped rescue me. She walked with me through the very darkest moments of my second divorce because she had been where I was. The Lord used her to speak truth into my life when all I was believing were lies about myself. She told me I was BRAVE, and I believed her. I GOT the amazing privilege of being there when she picked up her FREE car. I believe in the OnRamp ministry and I believe in her!

When you give to OnRamp, you are making an eternal investment in the lives of people like Jamie. You are giving them a HAND UP in their moment of need so that they can give a HAND UP to others in the future. Your generosity propagates through generations like ripples in a pond.

If you’re ready to give a HAND UP to other women like Jamie, please visit our GIVE page and make a monthly or one time investment in this vital ministry.

A Hand Up

This is client 168, to whom we gifted a vehicle eleven months ago. We are keeping her identity private, but can share that this young single mom was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of her child’s father. She moved to BCS to find safety and to enroll in college and pursue a degree in nursing. She’s involved in her church and committed to growing as a mother, which is how she connected with her advocate who trained her in parenting skills. When we asked her what she was looking most forward to with her new car, she said taking her son to the park to ride his bike and to the library to read books. Until then, these were, in her words, “luxuries” she couldn’t afford due to the high cost of Uber. Now she and her son visit the park and library regularly. She’s making measurable progress towards a college degree and a good paying job. They get to church and to the doctor whenever they need. OnRamp’s hand up has made life for this deserving mom and her son “abundantly better”!

This fall, we’re doing something different. We’re thrilled to kick-off "A Hand Up: OnRamp Stories of Triumph." We always share our clients' “before” stories - what life was like before they received their OnRamp vehicle. But we rarely share the incredible “after” stories - how their lives were transformed through the gift of a car. So each week for the next couple of months, you’ll hear about the profound impact that reliable vehicles have made in the lives of our dedicated clients over the years. This is more than just a campaign; it’s a celebration of resilience, growth, and the power of transformation.

Join us as we unveil these inspiring journeys, and stay tuned for updates to the dedicated page on our website that showcases these remarkable stories. Let’s honor the hard work and triumph of our clients together. And if you feel led by these stories to help us assist more clients like this young mom, please visit our GIVE page and make a monthly or one-time gift.

Double your Impact TODAY Only

TODAY is your chance to DOUBLE the impact of your giving through Brazos Valley Gives. OnRamp has secured $18,500 in promised matched funds for this event, meaning that every dollar given up to that amount is instantly doubled! Through early giving, we’ve already received $4,499, which when doubled, amounts to $8,998. This leaves $14,001 in unclaimed match which we hope to raise TODAY.

Let us put these numbers into perspective. If you donate $25, that becomes $50, enough to provide an Uber or Lyft gift card that will keep a struggling client employed while OnRamp repairs their vehicle. Donate $150 and OnRamp will receive $300, enough to buy a full set of new tires for a local family currently driving on dangerously worn out tires. Donate $500 and we’ll have $1000 to pay for a major repair to a client’s vehicle. Or donate $4,000 and we’ll receive $8,000, enough to buy a reliable Toyota Corolla for the next client family in line! Your gift, when doubled, can go twice as far to keep local families on the road to self-sufficiency.

Please consider donating any amount to OnRamp before 11pm today by clicking the button below to visit Brazos Valley Gives to help us secure all matching funds.

Client 205: Making a Difference

In a world where kindness often goes unnoticed, we are thrilled to shine a spotlight on our 205th client, Kirk Walters. His story is a beautiful testament to the power of generosity, and we believe it’s time for that same generosity to be returned to him.

Kirk was nominated by Andrew Eggman, the founder of Friendship Network, and our volunteers were truly inspired by their relationship and the mission behind this wonderful organization. Kirk’s journey is one of compassion and selflessness, making him a perfect fit for our support.

Kirk’s giving spirit is recognizable from the moment you speak with him. He first crossed paths with Andrew while volunteering at the local Food Bank, where he quickly made a lasting impression. Living with a close friend who needs 24/7 care, Kirk dedicates his time to caring for others, often putting their needs before his own. With no family nearby, he fills his days with community service, spreading the message of Jesus and uplifting those around him.

During his interview with us, Kirk shared his dreams of returning to college to study biblical apologetics, with aspirations of pursuing a master’s degree in ministry. His commitment to learning and serving others reflects his deep-rooted belief in making a difference in the lives of those in his community.

Kirk’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. In 2016, he suffered a traumatic injury that tested his faith and resilience. However, through it all, Kirk’s faith never wavered. Today, he is almost fully recovered and gives all the glory to the Lord for his healing. This renewed strength has ignited a desire in him to contribute even more to his community.

Now, with the help of our donors and supporters, Kirk is ready to take the next step. We believe that providing him with a vehicle will offer him the freedom he needs to further engage with his community and continue his mission of generosity.

To help us serve more clients, like Kirk, consider giving to OnRamp through Brazos Valley Gives here: https://www.brazosvalleygives.org/organization/onramptx

Client 204: ‘An Inspiration to Everyone’

With so many people in need, who should we choose to help? At OnRamp, we focus on helping those who are already doing all they can with what they have to provide for themselves and their children; people like Veronica, our 204th client. This single mom of five enrolled in the Brazos Valley’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS) to complete her GED so she could pursue a better job. She distinguished herself, proving highly motivated. Her teacher and OnRamp advocate, Fabi Payton, says that her, “greatest strength is her resilience. Her ability to persist and overcome obstacles is truly remarkable, driven by her unwavering determination to provide a better life for her children. Her perseverance and commitment serve as an inspiration to everyone around her.” That’s why we chose Veronica and her kids to receive our next vehicle, a 2012 Odyssey minivan! Now she will no longer have to spend $200 per week (!!) on Uber to get her kids to daycare and herself to work. That is 30% of her income instantly freed up to build her savings and prepare a better future for her kids. And speaking of Uber, can you imagine having to lug your kids and their car seats in and out of a different Uber vehicle twice a day everyday while working a full-time job and cooking and cleaning for all those kids on your own?! This single mom was doing the work! She just needed a little help from us at OnRamp to ease her burdens and empower her to provide all her kids need. We could not have found a better client!

Veronica with her advocate, Fabi (left), and with our President, Blake (right). She was all smiles to get her Odyssey!

If you are burdened by the suffering of the needy in our community but don’t know who or how to help, please consider supporting OnRamp through a monthly or one-time gift. We cannot support families like Veronica’s without the generosity of donors like you.

Client 203: Back on Track

OnRamp Client Care Director, Taylor Carlson, and Operations Director, Stephanie Mason, getting the Civic ready for donation.

I cannot imagine a better reason for why OnRamp exists than our 203rd client, a young family from Haiti. This husband and wife, whose identity we are keeping private, left Haiti and moved to town so that he could begin graduate school at TAMU. She worked as a nurse PRN, and between their salaries, they were fully self-sufficient. They had a reliable vehicle of their own and used it to regularly attend First Baptist College Station. Then, with joy, they found out that she was pregnant with their first child. However, the pregnancy brought serious health complications, which forced her to step down from her job. They had to get rid of the car. Then their son arrived very premature and needed almost three months in NICU. The family’s financial stability collapsed as bills piled up. While her husband could ride a bicycle to school, without a car, this new mom couldn’t return to work and had to pay exorbitant Uber and Lyft prices to get herself and her newborn to doctor appointments and the grocery store. There were no nearby family members to rely on. They desperately needed help, as would any of us in their situation.

That’s when their church nominated this deserving mom to OnRamp. As her advocate says of her, “As I have gotten to know [her] over the past several years, and even closer following the birth of her son, I have seen her passion for Christ, her family, and for others, and her ability to work to overcome challenges… Having a vehicle will allow [her] to return to work. As a PRN, she is capable of serving others through the healthcare industry. In addition, she will be able to bring her family back to church on a regular basis.”

In God’s gracious timing, this family’s need coincided with the second annual Wheels | Watches | Whiskey event put on by our good friends Michael and Jennifer Satterfield. Through the generosity of those in attendance, donating funds and bidding on OnRamp’s silent auction, we raised over $10,000 for this client’s vehicle! We were able to purchase a nearly perfect Honda Civic found by our own Joe Dewolf in Colorado (where we purchase most of our vehicles), bring it to Texas, get it prepped by Christian Brothers and Discount Tire, and then gift it to this mom and her family on Monday. She could not stop giving thanks to God as we waited our turn at the tax office!

We are so, so grateful to bless this dear family. Their son now has easy access to the doctor. This mom and dad have access to church. This hard-working woman can restart her career and help provide for her family. A hand-up at the right moment put them back on track towards long-term self-sufficiency and success. Thank you so much for helping make this possible!

OnRamp found this low mileage 2012 Honda Civic in Colorado, where we buy most of our vehicles due to their lower prices and better condition than many Texas cars. Colorado doesn’t use salt on their roads, doesn’t have hurricanes, and hasn’t experienced the population boom that’s pushing up used car prices in Texas.

Client 202: Hard Work Pays Off

Last Friday, OnRamp donated our third vehicle in Victoria, Texas to a woman named Elizabeth. We are thrilled that all the money for this vehicle and its maintenance was raised by our Victoria team, which has now grown to eight dedicated volunteers! God is working in the Coastal Bend to raise up a self-sustaining, local OnRamp ministry of their own, and we couldn’t be more pleased. As Shirley Buckert Vaughn, the leader of this volunteer team put it so well, “People need a way to get back in the game and I want to help people as long as the Lord will let me.”

Elizabeth proved herself a hard worker. As her employer puts it, “She’s been a dedicated employee. I’ve seen employees come and go and I just knew based on her work ethic that she was a hard worker.” Unfortunately, without a vehicle of her own, Elizabeth was spending over $300 a month on taxi service to get to and from work, and that was with a substantial charity discount from the taxi company. And that only got her to work; not to the store, church, or family. A reliable vehicle is an absolute necessity in Victoria.

Shirley Buckert Vaughan (left), team leader of OnRamp Coastal Bend, with Elizabeth (center) and her advocate, Carla Ragsdale (right) pose with Elizabeth's new car.

That’s why OnRamp Coastal Bend stepped in. Elizabeth was nominated and passed her application and interview with flying colors. Once the team had raised $10,000, she was gifted an excellent Toyota Corolla (our most frequent car to donate) and will now receive ongoing support for the next twelve months. With the money raised, OnRamp will pay for any maintenance on the car for the first three months and then will cover 90% of the maintenance cost for the next nine months, giving Elizabeth time to save up and make progress. As Shirley put it, “OnRamp is about so much more than just giving away cars, it’s about building relationships with people and giving them a hand up.”

Elizabeth says that getting this car is an answer to her prayers and is another goal she has accomplished on her journey. Now it will be easier for her to not only get to and from work, but to see her family, get more involved with her church, and further her education. She plans on completing her GED and working to become a paramedic. “I love to help people, big or small, and feel overwhelmed with joy to help others and give back.” We are blessed to add Elizabeth to the growing family of deserving OnRamp clients!

For the full story, check out this front-page article in the Victoria Advocate newspaper.

Family and friends stand with Elizabeth and her new car on Friday afternoon, joined by OnRamp volunteers in Victoria, TX.

What Matters Most

I am frequently asked for advice from people wanting to start or grow a non-profit. There are so many decisions to make, forms to complete, people to recruit, money to raise; it can be overwhelming. I enjoy demystifying that process for people and helping them to see that in the deluge of tasks, there is actually only one thing that matters most: getting the right people on your board of directors. By ‘right,’ I mean above all godly men and women of proven character who will bleed for the mission of your organization. It does not matter whether they bring wealth or connections to your board. What matters is that they are humble servant-leaders who will bring wisdom and proven experience to the table.

OnRamp board and staff at our 2024 annual retreat. From left back: Ryan Poehl, Matt Ege, Blake Jennings, Taylor Carlson, Tiffany Thompson, Megan Bock, Rami Cerone, Cheyna Talley, Cassidy Somervill. From left front: Austin Rogers, Catherine Cole, Amber Stevens, Donald Delgado, Stephanie Mason.

This is why my favorite OnRamp meeting of the year is our annual Board of Directors retreat. I am honored to call these ten volunteer directors my “boss.” I trust their collective wisdom and have seen God work through them to shape our organization, bless our clients, and care for our staff. As we contemplate continued growth in the Brazos Valley and expansion throughout Texas, I can lean confidently on their leadership.

Every person on our board brings some area of expertise and experience to guide OnRamp. This month, we want to celebrate Donald Delgado, our in-house legal expert! Donald is a Bryan native and Texas A&M University and UT Law alum, and practices law at West, Webb, Allbritton & Gentry, P.C. Donald is also a first-generation college graduate and fluent Spanish speaker. Most importantly, he is passionate to share the grace of God with families in need through the gift of reliable transportation. Please join us in thanking Donald for his selfless service to OnRamp and our wonderful clients.

Donald Delgado receiving his Faithful Service plaque for 3 years of making sure none of us go to jail! Stephanie Mason, our Operations Director, with board members Cheyna Talley and Rami Cerone proving that meetings can be fun!

Client 201: Meet Scott

Meet Scott, OnRamp’s 201st client. He exemplifies the character we look for in clients: selfless, humble, and hard working. Like many of us, Scott made some poor decisions early in his life that led to painful consequences. But with the help of an addiction recovery group, his church, and his mentor, Hilario, Scott has turned his life around over the last decade. He now helps lead Jesus Loves Addicts, mentoring other men seeking to walk a new path. He has also worked diligently for the Brazos County Road and Bridge Department for the last few years. Even after the loss of both of his parents, Scott continued to follow the Lord and grow.

Unfortunately, that hard-earned stability was threatened when Scott’s pickup truck was totaled in an accident. He lost his access to work, church, his recovery group, the grocery store, and all other necessary errands. Neighbors and friends could provide rides on occasion, but he couldn’t earn enough to both cover all his bills and afford a reliable vehicle to replace the truck. He needed a hand-up after his accident so he could continue working hard to meet his needs and bless his church community. So Hilario nominated him to OnRamp and we celebrated the privilege of donating a sedan to Scott last week; a sedan donated to OnRamp by a very generous local family. Now back in the drivers’ seat, Scott can continue on his path to bettering his life.

Scott, 2nd from left, with, from left to right, our newest Client Care volunteer, Brad, our Board Treasurer, Matt, and our Board Vehicle Team Representative, Rami.

We cannot do this vital ministry without the generosity of donors like the family who gave this sedan. If you have a reliable vehicle you could donate or sell at a discount to us, please visit this Page where you’ll find all the details. We’re particularly looking for 5-15 year old Toyotas and Hondas with no more than 150k miles on them. They’ve treated our clients very well. And if you don’t have a vehicle to donate but could donate funds to help us purchase vehicles, please visit our Give page today.

Wheels, Watches, and Whiskey 2024

Our second annual Wheels | Watches | Whiskey event benefiting OnRamp kicks off this Saturday at 7pm at the Stella Hotel. While tickets are already sold out, you can still be a part by bidding in our Silent Auction. Every dollar from the auction goes towards OnRamp’s goal of raising $9300 from the event. Why the oddly specific number? Because that is the price to purchase this mint 2012 Honda Civic for our next client family! We’re bringing it to the event to show it off (yes, parked next to million-dollar supercars!), but we’ve still got to pay for it so that we can then donate it to one of our awaiting hard-working clients in need.

To help make this Civic a reality for a deserving client, consider bidding on one or more of the rare bottles of whiskey, stunning watches, artwork, accessories, or gift cards in this year’s auction. Or simply donate to one of the listed needs such as purchasing a set of tires or a battery for a family in need.

We are so grateful to all the businesses and individuals that donated these exclusive items, and especially to Michael and Jennifer Satterfield for inviting us to be the title charity at this amazing event.

OnRamp Enters the Rio Grande Valley

Client’s reaction to the first time sitting in her new car. She was so excited and couldn’t believe how nice it was!

This week saw another milestone: OnRamp donated our first vehicle to a client in the Rio Grande Valley! Our newly formed RGV volunteer team gifted this Toyota Camry to a retired nurse in her 70’s nominated by her church. This dear woman has volunteered countless hours since joining the church decades ago. She teaches kids about Jesus in the Children’s Ministry and volunteers with women’s ministry. As her advocate wrote us, ”She is a very independent hard-working person who loves giving and serving the Lord through the church.”

Unfortunately, she was taken advantage of financially not long ago, which left her without the funds to replace her twenty-year-old broken down car. This stranded her at home and cost her freedom and independence. Thankfully, God brought together a team of volunteers led by Debi and Trey Crouch to begin the work of OnRamp along the Texas border. We interviewed this sweet woman and gave her a few action steps which she rapidly completed, including applying for additional benefits she was owed. As soon as her steps were complete, our good friend Joe in Colorado found this Camry for us and shipped it to Christian Brothers Schertz in San Antonio for service. With a clean bill of health, Trey caught a ride and drove the car all the way down to McAllen where the team cleaned it up and donated it to this worthy woman. The only modification they had to make was remove the ski rack it came with… probably not something she’ll need in south Texas :-)

Client with some of the RGV team, including Debi on the right.

It seems that God may have larger things in mind for OnRamp. The Brazos Valley, DFW, Coastal Bend, now the Rio Grande Valley. Where to next? Perhaps it’s time to think bigger. We are so very grateful to be along for the ride!

200th CLIENT SERVED!

Yesterday saw a major milestone in OnRamp’s story: we served our 200th client with the gift of a reliable vehicle! Linda, a single mom of two young children, has diligently completed classes and programs with Brenham Pregnancy Center to provide a better life for her family. She has a great job, but has had to rely on the kindness of friends to get to the places she needs to go, including work. Her ability to grow her income and provide a better life for her kids stalled simply for lack of a reliable set of wheels to get around the Brazos Valley.

Fortunately, God moved in the heart of a generous local family who donated a low-mileage sedan to OnRamp last month. Christian Brothers Automotive and Discount Tire handled the small amount of maintenance it needed, and our staff and board took it to Brenham to bless this highly deserving woman. With her new reliable ride, she will be able to go anywhere she needs, including visiting her mother and grandmother for the first time in years. Her advocates, the staff team at BPC, has nothing but wonderful things to say about Linda and her children. And while we’re on that topic, let us say how much we enjoyed working with this organization. They are doing wonderful and life changing work in Brenham.

Staff of Brenham Pregnancy Center with our 200th client, Linda (center with keys)

The first hundred clients took OnRamp four and a half years. The second hundred took just two years and three months; exactly half the amount of time. And that doesn’t include all the clients served by our expansion affiliate in DFW! We thank the Lord for the growth He has allowed us, and pray that it would continue if He so wills. May every Texan like Linda eventually have an OnRamp in their community meeting this vital need!

To read the story on KBTX, click HERE

A Ukrainian Mother and an Injured Coach Receive Vehicles

At OnRamp, we share the love of Jesus by gifting reliable vehicles to hard-working people in need who, in most cases, are the actual heroes of their stories. That was on full display last week when we were privileged to donate a Honda Accord to a Ukrainian refugee and her son on Thursday, and a wheelchair-accessible ramp van to a disabled local coach on Friday.

Kateryna (left) receiving her keys from OnRamp volunteer Amy Loggins.

Kateryna fled war-torn Karkiv with her four-year-old son in October, seeking refuge here in Texas. Sadly, her husband has been unable to join them. His service is required back home as the conflict rages. Kateryna is a university trained urban planner and architect, but due to immigration regulations and the language barrier, had to take a job flipping hamburgers when she arrived. Fortunately, leaders at the A&M Church of Christ came alongside her and helped her find a much better job in architecture as well as a safe place to live here in BCS. However, she struggled to get to work, to English classes, or to her son’s school due to lack of a vehicle. College Station is a hard place to walk in 100 degree July! When her church nominated her to OnRamp, we immediately accepted her based on her incredible work ethic and determination to go to the ends of the earth to raise her son in safety. Last Thursday it was our honor to gift this deserving woman a reliable sedan. Now we will support her throughout the coming year, praying especially for a righteous and swift end to the war so that she and her husband can be reunited.

Supporters, staff, donors, and mechanics gathering around Calvin and Sabrina to pray for their safety and blessing in the new van. We pray with all clients who allow us to.

As many of you know, the wheelchair-accessible ramp van that we gifted to Rudder High School Coach Calvin Hill last year has broken down and the ramp system cannot be repaired. The van had to be replaced. When we learned this bad news three weeks ago, our bank account was worryingly low. Ramp vans are not cheap, so we were in a pickle. But that’s when our community came together to support this deserving man and his selfless wife, Sabrina. Over the course of one week, over 90 donors, most of whom were totally new to OnRamp, helped us raise the $15,000 needed to purchase a replacement. Some could only give $10, and yet it all added up. On Friday of last week, we gifted Coach a newer, much better van. Coach went from a van with 130,000 miles on it to this fully loaded Honda Odyssey air-ride ramp van with only 40,000 miles. It's perfect. It's so much nicer than what he had. It reminds me that God likes to give His children extravagant gifts.  Coach continues to make remarkable progress towards walking again (he’s currently being fitted for custom carbon fiber legs!) Now he won’t be held back by lack of a vehicle.

Thank you Bryan/College Station for allowing us the privilege to bless these hard-working clients with the gift of FREEDOM that a reliable vehicle provides! This is what the love of Jesus looks like in action.

Coach Hill Needs our Help

Coach Calvin Hill and his wife Sabrina urgently need our assistance once again. You may recall that we gifted them a wheelchair accessible minivan one year ago. This van gave them the FREEDOM so many of us take for granted. After Calvin suffered a horrific accident in November 2022, he lost his legs and was confined to a motorized wheelchair. Without a ramp-accessible vehicle, he could not leave the house to get to the doctor, the store, church, or back to Rudder High School to see the boys he had coached. But through your generous donations, we were able to gift a Dodge ramp van to this dear couple last June.

Unfortunately, the ramp system in that van has failed beyond repair, and the company that built it is no longer in business. The only option is to replace the van entirely. Fortunately, we have found the perfect vehicle: a very low mileage Honda Odyssey (below) that already has a ramp installed. Now we just need to raise the required funds. The van costs $15,000 and we have already raised $8,680. We have just $6,320 to go. Can you help? Your donation, no matter the size, will make a significant impact. If you or anyone you know can contribute, please visit the GIVE page on our website today and note in your online gift or on your check that it is “for Coach Hill.” Please share this need far and wide so we can all continue to support the Hill family.

Two upcoming events

Clash at the Creek Golf Tournament, August 3-4

Thank you to Pebble Creek Country Club Men’s Golf Association for supporting OnRamp through their upcoming Clash at the Creek Golf Tournament during the first weekend in August! Registration is open and details and sign up information are in the included image below.

Wheels, Watches, and Whiskey, August 17th

Join us at the Stella Hotel on August 17th for an unforgettable evening of exotic and classic cars, premium whiskey tastings, and unique opportunities to shop and bid on luxury watches. Tickets are available for purchase here, and proceeds benefit OnRamp. This event is presented by The Gentleman Racer and McLaren Automotive.