I believe that single mothers are made of sterner stuff than most of us, myself included. OnRamp has now donated reliable vehicles to almost sixty single moms in our community, and I have been stunned by every one of their stories. For many, abuse or abandonment left them as the sole provider and parent to their young children. Many work multiple jobs to cover expenses, budget and save to the penny to pay bills, and somehow muster the energy after a full day of work to feed, clean, and read to their kids. I don’t know how they do it day after day. I just know we have a responsibility to come along side them, for their sake and the sake of their children.
Cassie and her daughter with OnRamp volunteer, Mary.
God provided OnRamp that opportunity last week for a single mom named Cassie who is raising one of the most delightful pre-school daughters I’ve ever met! We played hide-and-seek in the tax office while her mom completed paperwork (I doubt that’s permitted in a tax office, but how could I say no to a giggling 3-year-old?) Cassie exemplifies that “sterner stuff” with which God fashioned single moms. According to her advocate from SkyBreak church, her greatest strength is her tenacity. She lost multiple close family members in the last couple of years but kept her hope in the Lord. She works incredibly hard to provide for her daughter. One of her goals in life is “be an influence to my daughter, that no matter the struggle, we will always have each other and we are very strong women.” Indeed, Cassie is very strong. She has worked hard the last two years to substantially improve her credit score, and has completed the family sustainability program with the local Financial Fitness Center. She’s already doing everything we could ask! But an unreliable, worn-out vehicle threatened her progress. She missed two doctor appointments in the month before her interview because the car wouldn’t start. Unfortunately, it was simply beyond repair. To continue providing for her daughter, she desperately needed a reliable vehicle to commute to work, the grocery store, doctor appointments, and her daughter’s school. Furthermore, due to a serious back injury, she needed something tall that she could get into without bending down.
Enter this Toyota Scion Xb, an unusual half-car/half-SUV that perfectly fit the bill. This one was actually a limited-edition model with a built in subwoofer, amps, and LED lighting throughout! So now this mom and daughter can enjoy thumping tunes on their daily commute!
This vehicle is a game-changer for this family. A week after receiving it, Cassie emailed us to say, “I'm seeing the most amazing light at the end of this dark tunnel…. This car is AMAZING!.. to say we've been blessed beyond belief is an understatement. I appreciate all of you. Love to infinity.”
We are so very grateful to our donors who put forth the funds to buy this vehicle for Cassie and her daughter. You are making a generational, transformative difference in their lives. Please consider continuing to give to this ministry so we can provide a hand-up to more moms like Cassie. Thank you also to Taylor and Mary who took point on this client, Rami who found the vehicle for us, Jeremy at Christian Brothers who prepped it, and John at Discount Tire for new rubber. Story and pictures shared with client permission.