Can you imagine being a single mom of young kids preparing for Christmas… without a vehicle? Need to get to the store? Too bad. Need to get to your child’s Christmas concert? Nope. Trying to hold down a job so you can pay end-of-year bills? Good luck even getting to work! I would wither under the weight they carry. That is why I am so grateful to have gotten to play Santa to two local single moms yesterday and gift them each a beautiful, dependable Toyota.
First up, Daneysja received a Sienna minivan big enough to fit all six of her children. We are so proud of this College Station mom for completing OnRamp’s two-step program. When we first interviewed her, she desperately needed a vehicle to be able to keep her job, but she did not yet have enough in savings to qualify for a top-tier vehicle from us. So we gave her a high mileage, temporary vehicle to buy her time to continue building her savings (step 1 of the 2 step). She kept that vehicle running, paying for repairs herself until her financial situation met our requirements. Then we replaced that worn out vehicle with this beautiful Toyota Sienna that should last her and her children many years to come (step 2). Her hard work and diligence earned her and her kids this newfound freedom and security!
Second, we gifted a Toyota Matrix to our 169th client, Shay, a single mom of a 3-year-old son. Her sponsor told us he’d never met a client with such perseverance and tenacity. When life knocked her down, she got right back up and kept pressing forward. She needed our help because she had lent her previous vehicle to a friend who wrecked it. Her liability insurance didn’t cover the damage and the friend didn’t replace the car, so she and her son were left without any transportation, and even the most basic errands became impossible. But she found ways to stay employed and build her savings and eventually qualified for this reliable hatchback that will serve her well. Waiting in the tax office line, she told us that she is most excited about having the freedom once again to take her son to the park whenever he wants to go. They haven’t been able to go in ages because she’s had no vehicle. I can’t imagine telling my son he can’t go to the park because I can’t get him there. May this vehicle bless her son with many sunny days in the park!
Daneysja and Shay are wonderful moms who deserve our help, and there are many more like them in our community. Can you help us continue this ministry to moms like them? During December we have $25,000 in matching gifts committed, meaning that if you give soon, your donation will be doubled until that commitment is fully matched. Please GIVE to help us finish the year strong so we can share Jesus’ love with many more amazing clients through the gift of reliable transportation.