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.

Four Vehicle Donations in Three Days

This last week was HUGE for OnRamp! In just three days we donated reliable vehicles to our next four deserving client families, marking our 195th client served. Here are two of those client stories.

Our 193rd client, a single mother of two named Sarah (blue shirt in picture above), learned about OnRamp through The Nest, an organization helping those seeking recovery from addiction. It was at The Nest that Sarah found peace and purpose. Engaging in The Nest's recovery Bible study, Sarah began to rebuild her life, one step at a time.

Her transformation was nothing short of remarkable! From battling addiction to embracing sobriety, Sarah emerged and turned her life around. Though her journey was difficult, through her commitment and courage, she not only stayed sober but also took charge of her responsibilities with diligence.

Yet lack of a vehicle significantly limited Sarah's ability to provide for her family and contribute to her community. Recognizing this barrier, JoAnn Willis, the director of The Nest, nominated her to OnRamp.

Thanks to our generous donors, last week, Sarah received the gift of a vehicle and a year of free maintenance support. This Honda CRV will give her freedom and empowerment so she can continue marching forward and providing for her family. 

OnRamp Operations Director, Stephanie Mason, praying over Sarah and her family during her vehicle donation. We pray over every client in the tax office parking lot, asking for God’s protection and blessing.

Our 194th client hails from Victoria, Texas and is our second OnRamp Coastal Bend client. Leti Alvarado is a single mom who works up to 100 hours per week at three jobs to make ends meet. As she stated in her OnRamp application, “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make sure I’m able to make it to work. Working is essential to survival and a way of life.” Unfortunately, when her previous car broke down in January, her employment and her ability to provide for her family were in danger. 

Unbeknownst to Leti, her friend and mentor at church, Judy, had just heard about our new OnRamp Coastal Bend organization. After being nominated, Leti completed an application and interview, and then met with a financial advisor to create a budget and savings plan. She did a wonderful job reducing her already reasonable expenses a further 15% per month. With that success in hand, OnRamp raised approximately $10,000 to purchase and prepare a very low mileage Honda Fit to gift to Leti and her family.

Upon receiving news of her vehicle, Leti stated, “I’m very grateful for such a blessing and hope to continue to set an example for my family as well as my community. Thank you God and thank you OnRamp for helping me improve my quality of life."

From left to right: OnRamp Coastal Bend leader, Shirley, with Leti, her advocate Judy, and Diane and Chip Jennings from OnRamp Brazos Valley who delivered the donated car to Victoria, Texas.

We are overjoyed to share the grace of God with these two deserving women. However, OnRamp’s funds are running critically low, meaning that we cannot accept any new clients at this time until our bank account grows significantly. If you are able to help, please consider a special gift or monthly donation to OnRamp by visiting our GIVE page.

Last but not least, we are thrilled to introduce Stella Emira Cerone, born May 19 to Erin and Rami Cerone! Rami is our Vehicle Acquisition Team Lead and serves on our Board of Directors. Welcome to the family, Stella!

Client 191: A Shared Heritage

Client 191 was sent to OnRamp by an incredible nonprofit located in Brenham. Our Daughters’ House (ODH) focuses on meeting the many needs of young women aging out of foster care by providing housing, education, counseling, guidance and support as these women prepare for their future. One thing that truly sets ODH apart from other ministries is their family-like atmosphere. In their words, “At Our Daughters' House, these girls are not clients or residents - they are our heritage.” The focus is on the individual instead of the labels given, the character instead of the case file, the name instead of the number. With this type of support, women can build successful lives- completing education, securing an occupation and becoming independent, productive adults in society. This is why we LOVE working with Advocates and Applicants from similarly minded nonprofits who are dedicated to seeing our clients in the same way we do: it's not about the cars, it's about the people.

Over the last few years, Our Daughter’s House has nominated several clients to OnRamp, and each one has impressed us with their preparation, dedication, and communication. In fact, before they will nominate a client to us, the client must first save up $1,000 to be prepared for expenses like gas and insurance!

Keywana, Client 191, is already working full time at a local restaurant and saving money to provide for herself and her three month old son (he is a cutie!) Yet, without transportation, her prospects were limited. Her advocate, Kris, shares that “Keywana has made huge steps toward independence and providing a better life for herself and her son.” Within 48 hours of receiving the notice that we had a vehicle ready for her, Keywana had secured insurance, completed all of the necessary paperwork, and had her car keys in hand. That is just a glimpse of her initiative!

We are so excited to see what’s next for Keywana and for our friends at Our Daughter’s House. If you’d like to learn more about this incredible ministry, you can find more information HERE.

Client 189: Ramp Van to the Rescue

For our 189th client family, a wheelchair-accessible van means freedom for an otherwise home-bound young man. Karen and Sam live in rural Navasota. They adopted three boys with special needs who are now all in their twenties. One of their boys, Matthew, cannot get out go the house without a wheelchair-accessible ramp van. Unfortunately, the van they previously owned was 24 years old and no longer reliable at all. This meant Matthew couldn’t go anywhere, and the family as a whole struggled to access healthcare, church, and community. That’s when Karen’s Women of Faith group at Central Baptist Church in Bryan stepped up to nominate this deserving family to OnRamp. Her advocate wrote in our nomination form that “Karen is a shining light and an example of someone who loves and serves well. Her faith in God's ability and desire to meet their needs is strong. She has a calm assurance that God knows their needs and has confidence that He will meet those needs.”

Indeed, God did precisely that. Unbeknownst to Karen and Sam, six months ago a local family gifted to OnRamp a mechanized ramp van with only 20,000 miles on it! It was hardly even broken in. Christian Brothers Auto caught up all the maintenance and Discount Tire gave it a set of new shoes, and we joyously gathered at the Grimes County tax office to give Karen and Sam and their boys the gift of freedom.

Want to see exactly what this van means to this family? All three boys play baseball for a team called the Crusaders in a league of 80 participants on six teams. But when their van broke down, Matthew couldn’t play any longer because there was no way to get him to the ballpark. Not anymore! Thanks to the van, Matthew got to be at baseball that very day! As our lead volunteer on this case, Bettye, reported, “The van changed Matthew’s life; from being isolated to being a part of his community by attending church, social events and playing baseball.” For those with disabilities like Matthew, a reliable and accessible vehicle truly is life-changing.

Now for the bad news. Due to all our recent vehicle donations to clients, OnRamp has fallen below our “soft floor” - the amount in the bank that we have to be above in order to say "yes" to new clients. We can donate vehicles to those clients we've already accepted, and continue to service vehicles for all clients in our one-year of care, but we can't add new clients to the list despite all the excellent applicants in the pipeline. We would LOVE to see this change, but it does take either a greater steady stream of monthly giving or some large one-time or periodic gifts. If you are able to help, please visit our GIVE page, or if you know any person or business who could help, please send them our way by having them email blakej@onramptx.org. Thanks everyone!

An Inspiring Week... But Also Don't Die

From Nigeria with Love

Nothing more reliable than a simple Corolla. And this one even has crank windows - so less to break.

Our 187th client is a family from Nigeria: a mom and dad with their young son and newborn daughter. The husband is a doctoral student at TAMU working incredibly hard to complete his studies and care for his growing family. They were nominated by our friends at Grace Bible Church who actually paid the airfare to bring this man’s wife and children here to the US after he’d arrived for school. Now with a reliable Toyota Corolla of his own, he can continue excelling in school, take his family on day trips, and take his children to appointments and school. We are so grateful to partner with Grace Bible Church to bless another international student family!

Flood Driving Tips

A College Station driver made the national news this week in the worst sort of way. This short clip from the Weather Channel went viral, showing a sedan driving through high water during our recent flooding rain. What appears to be a parking lot is actually a submerged creek. That car is now trash. When even a small amount of water gets sucked into a running engine, it causes hydro-lock. The engine seizes and thousands of dollars of damage occurs instantly. So, here’s the tip: DO NOT EVER FOR ANY REASON DRIVE IN FLOODWATERS! Unless you have an off-road vehicle and know what you’re doing and what hazards are under that water, don’t take the risk. It could have been far worse if that water was moving fast because it could have trapped the driver and taken her life. So turn around, don’t drown.

Coastal Bend Client In Need

OnRamp is expanding to the Coastal Bend and we have our second client to serve out of Victoria, TX. This amazing single mom works up to 100 hours per week, at three jobs to make ends meet. We would love to bless her with a great low-mileage Honda Fit that we’ve found, but we need to raise approximately $8,000 to cover it. If you have ANY connection to the Coastal Bend or any friends or family there, please share Leticia's story below with them. If you can give towards this need, visit our "GIVE" page and write "Coastal Bend" in the comment line of your online gift or on the memo line of your check. Thanks!!

"Leticia Alvarado is my name. I’m 43 years old and a single mother of three children, however only one living child. I was born in Washington state, but Texas raised and have lived in Victoria the majority of my life. I currently hold three jobs to make ends meet. In January my car started giving me problems and eventually I was unable to drive it. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make sure I’m able to make it to work. Working is essential to survival and a way of life. I’m very grateful for such blessing and hope to continue to set an example for my family as well as my community. Thank you God and thank you OnRamp for helping me improve my quality of life."

First Car Care Clinic Success

Last week, we invited our clients to our office for a vehicle clinic. This was an opportunity for clients to ask questions, check out any maintenance issues, and learn more about their vehicle so they feel more confident behind the wheel. And every client received a free Drew's Car Wash gift card! We were so happy to see our clients face to face, hear their life updates, see their children, and pray for them! We will be doing this regularly, so to all our clients - keep an eye out in your inbox for details on the next workshop.

Client 186, Spiritual Gifts, and OnRampDFW

Spiritual gifts — special abilities and qualities given to us by God to fulfill His mission for our lives — manifest themselves in a variety of forms that can include teaching, giving, serving, hospitality, and so much more. Our most recent client, Lupe, embodies the particular spiritual gift of serving. She has proven to be a remarkable caregiver to people in her community. Her heart overflows with compassion for those in need.

Before Lupe lost access to transportation, caregiving was more than just a job. It was her passion and calling. She forged deep relationships with those under her care, extending far beyond daily tasks. Lupe offered not only physical assistance but also emotional support, friendship, and hope to those in need. So understandably, when her vehicle broke down and she could no longer reach her clients, she was heartbroken to leave the work she cherished, as well as the income she counted on.

Fast forward to this week. Through the kindness and nomination of Patsy Shubert, a member of Aldersgate Methodist, Lupe received a reliable Camry from OnRamp. But this is so much more than just a vehicle; it’s an opportunity for Lupe to continue her calling of caregiving. With this newfound mobility, Lupe can once again flourish in her spiritual gift, caring for others in need. This one vehicle will bless many through her compassionate service.

As we celebrate Lupe’s spiritual gift, we invite you to reflect on your own. How can you use your gifts to continue God’s mission of love and compassion in our community?

OnRampDFW

Beyond our community, God continues to expand the impact of OnRamp to serve new cities and new clients throughout Texas. Our staff traveled to Dallas last week to spend time with the growing OnRampDFW team who continue to amaze us. This all-volunteer team has already given reliable vehicles to twenty clients; and check out the graph to see how diverse these clients are based on their native languages! God is using this team to demonstrate the love of Christ in a tangible way to men and women from all over the world. If you or your friends or family live in DFW and are looking for a faith-based charity to support, I strongly encourage you to consider this amazing ministry. You can give here.

Our staff team in the Brazos Valley counts it a privilege and priority to train and equip new OnRamp ministries like DFW as they scale up and grow. We used this “OnRamp RoadTrip” to Dallas to share the processes and software systems we’ve developed that can manage hundreds of clients at a time, and we offer these to expansion ministries free of charge (though they have to purchase the actual system software from the companies we bought it from). Yet in addition to us teaching what we’ve learned, we also learn from them. Their own experiences as an OnRamp startup have taught us much and given us new ideas to implement back here in the Brazos Valley. I’ll be honest: I pray for a day when a dozen OnRamp teams covering a wide swath of the US gather annually for an OnRamp conference to share what we’re learning, solve new problems, and plan for greater impact in the future. May it be so, Lord!

To all those who help to fund OnRamp here in the Brazos Valley, we want you to know that your giving is fueling impact that goes far beyond our community. Thank you for supporting our efforts to bless families in need throughout Texas!

From Three-Wheeler to Corolla

Last Friday we donated a Toyota Corolla to our 185th OnRamp client. For her safety, we cannot share her identity or circumstances (picture above is our staff and volunteer team, but the client is out of frame), but we can share two amazing stories about this particular car. First, how we paid for it… by selling the most unusual three-wheeler I’ve ever seen! A few months ago a Waco-area family donated this VW-powered custom creation they inherited from their dad, Garland, after he passed away in 2019. He was a police detective and then deputy constable for 46 years and a remarkably tall man, six foot, ten inches to be exact. Despite his intimidating size, he was a “gentle, gentle man” who would have loved to see his custom creation used for a good cause. It was, however, a bit challenging to sell given how tall a rider would have to be to operate the pedals. Rami and I could only ride it if one of us worked the handlebars while the other worked the pedals! Fortunately, another generous and rather tall couple saw Rami’s ad and fell in love with the bike, skulls and all! They bought it for a price that funded most of the purchase of this latest Corolla. We are so thankful to Josh and Shannon Tetens who donated the bike to OnRamp to sell!

Told you he was tall! Here’s Garland (original owner) vs. Rami on the custom 3-wheeler before we sold it.

Second story: here’s what happened when we bought the car. Rami and I found this Corolla from a repeat seller in Houston, a kind young Iranian man who’s sent us great vehicles. After inspecting and test driving the car and closing on a price, he told us that our ministry with OnRamp had so inspired him over the years that when he met an Afghan family in Houston who had no transportation, he rallied some friends and together they went out and bought a car and donated it to the family just like OnRamp does. That was without any support or direction from us… he just followed his heart to help others in need because he saw us do it first. That overwhelms me with hope. One good deed done in the name of Jesus can inspire others to do the same, even without fancy administrative systems and network of donors. Just a few kind people pooling their resources can sacrificially help a family in need. What a success!

In closing, if you would like to make a measurable difference in the life of local families in need, either consider donating to OnRamp or rolling up your sleeves like our friend in Houston and donating directly to impoverished individuals and families that God puts in your path. It will cost you - there’s no way around that. But nothing is more satisfying.

PS. For those who shop at Kroger’s you can designate OnRamp as your charity of choice and have a percentage of your purchases donated by Krogers to our charity. Simply visit https://www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards for instructions and enter “OnRamp” when choosing your charity.

Why Your Car Insurance Skyrocketed

Across the US, auto insurance rates have risen an average of 26% from the previous year. That's an astronomical  jump in just 12 months, and it is crushing those, like our clients, who were already living with razor thin margins. So why is auto insurance out-of-control?

Did you know that just to replace the windshield on my friend’s Ford F250 pickup costs $2300?! That was a $500 repair not that long ago. But his truck came with a number of driver aids: things like lane departure warning, emergency braking, radar cruise control. Those are GREAT features because they save lives. However, they increase the cost of a stone hitting his windshield by a factor of six. That is not an anomaly. Back into a light pole? What might have been $800 to fix a few years ago - just replace the plastic bumper cover - is now $4,000 to replace and realign back-up sensors and cameras. And just to be clear, it is not because repair shops are gouging us. The  high-tech equipment to do that alignment is many tens of thousands of dollars, plus specialized labor.  This inflationary trend will only increase as self-driving assistance features multiply, including more cameras, sensors, radar, LiDAR, and God-knows how many interconnected computer modules. Now let me be clear: we are NOT against this new safety tech. It really will save lives, just like airbags and seatbelts before it. But it will GREATLY increase the cost to repair vehicles, especially as they age.

Windshield camera and sensor array on a new Tesla - a sure sign of things coming to all vehicles.

So what do we do about this crushing cost increase? First, maximize your credit score! It may surprise you to learn that credit score does factor in to the price you are quoted for insurance. OnRamp clients are offered this assistance through free community credit-building programs, but the advice holds for everyone at every economic level. The better your score, the lower your cost of insurance.

Second, drive extra cautiously. We cannot stress enough how important it is to keep your speed under control, remove distractions (NO TEXTING!), and drive defensively. Accidents and tickets can drive your insurance prices through the roof, and hurt you for years to come. It has always been wise to drive cautiously, but never more so than now.

Third, if you are able, consider helping those who are unable to weather this inflationary burden. If you give to OnRamp, your support helps us bless people in Texas who suffer the most from these cost increases. Not only do we gift reliable vehicles to them, but we also provide a full year of free maintenance plus ongoing training and resourcing to help them thrive. Other notable donation options include the Food Bank and various Food Pantries. We have heard from many struggling families that are literally having to choose between making their car insurance payment or feeding their kids. Or consider Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, or St Vincent de Paul - all offering emergency financial assistance to families trying to keep their heads above water. Now is the time for us to be more generous than ever before!

Ford F150 LED taillights with built in blind spot monitoring retail for approximately $1,300 each NOT including connected computer modules. So don’t back in to a post!

Client 184: Last Day Walking, Baby!

Client #184 is the “gold standard” of remarkable clients. Though we’re keeping her identity private, we can share that through a series of difficult life circumstances and loss, she entered into Elizabeth House Maternity Home, where she lived throughout her pregnancy with her second child. This client was employed by Amazon delivering boxes throughout the entire pregnancy! She worked hard to provide for her family, so after completing the EHMH program, the staff nominated her to OnRamp. By the time we met her, she had worked on her savings and credit, found housing for herself and her two children, and successfully completed most of the classes in a job training program. She did all that while walking her daughter to school several miles a day with a baby on her hip! By our estimates, she had to walk the kids an hour each way. She would then work remotely overnight once her children were asleep. She has done everything she can to pursue her education, build community connections, and grow as a parent.

Last week, hours before we handed her the keys to her new car, she walked her daughter to school for the very last time, and at drop off, told her “today is our last day walking, baby. I’ll pick you up in our new car this afternoon.” She now has access to take herself and her children to school, to church, and to get groceries. Her daughter can now attend after-school programs. We pray that this vehicle connects this sweet family to everything they need for as long as they need it.

We want to gift reliable vehicles and a full year of free maintenance to dozens more worthy local parents like her in 2024, but to do that, we need more monthly givers. If you’re not already giving monthly, please consider signing up by visiting our “GIVE” page. Or if you know of any friends, family, or coworkers who might want to support OnRamp’s ongoing ministry, please forward this email to them! We need as many financial partners as the Lord will provide to serve the many incredible clients He is sending us.

Client 183: Leverage

Twenty-two hundred years ago, Archimedes said “Give me a lever long enough and I shall move the world.” Levers are simple tools that multiply force, enabling a person to move massive loads. That is precisely what the gift of a reliable vehicle at the right time offers to a hard-working individual. It is simply a tool that multiplies the impact of his or her heroic efforts, increasing the odds of long-term success.

This lever image came to my mind as we donated a reliable Honda CRV to Angelica, our 183rd client last week. This single mom of three works full-time for Brazos Valley Coalition of Government’s County Indigent Health Program. Here’s the key: notice how her advocate described her to us.

“Angelica has a very strong work ethic and has shown her growing expertise in her department. I envision her in a leadership role down the road. She is a person that just needed a good opportunity... From the moment I interviewed her, I could see her potential and told her so in that moment. She is so worth it!”

She’s already doing the work. She’s already impressing her employer and learning all she can. She is on the road to success. She just needed a tool to multiply her efforts so she can provide the greatest possible future for her kids. That’s where OnRamp enters the picture. We gifted her not only a vehicle but also a full year of free maintenance and ongoing support to supercharge her own efforts. Now we pray that with our help and her advocate’s ongoing care, Angelica will rise to leadership and fulfill her God-given potential. Please join with us in praying for God’s strength, love, and power for her and all of our 183 clients. May He lengthen the lever in their hands so they can move the world for the good of their families!

Angelica and her advocate, Jan.

What a Night!

Thanks to all of you who sponsored bays, bought tickets, or bid on auction items at Saturday’s 2024 DRIVE WITH ONRAMP fundraiser. With your help, we raised over $42,000 in profits, exceeding our goals and ensuring we remain on track to gift reliable vehicles and a year of free maintenance to FIFTY new client families in 2024!

Your generosity in 2023 enabled us to serve 44 clients with 63 dependent children in their homes who now have access to jobs, school, church, doctor, the grocery store. They are on the path towards self-sufficiency because of you!

We are excited to report that our 182nd client will join their ranks this Thursday when she receives the 2013 Honda Odyssey that was parked on the front walkway at BigShots! She and her kids are about to get a huge HELP-UP thanks to you all.

Special thanks are owed to our amazing sponsors for this event. For the second year running, Bock Realty led the charge as our Platinum Sponsor and College Station Mercedes followed as our Gold Sponsor. We are also so grateful to our Silver Sponsors, StyleCraft Builders, EOS - Randy McDougal, and the Bolin and Rogers families, and all of our Bronze Sponsors. Thank you also to Fries Financial Services for their generous matching gift of $4,000 towards the silent auction. Since the auction raised over $4,000, the entire match is ours!

The surprise of the night was welcoming dozens of walk-ups who just so happened to come to BigShots for a night of fun without realizing we’d rented the place out. They purchased tickets at the door and got to learn about OnRamp while driving golf balls.

We would be remiss not to thank the Lord for perfect weather! Just two days earlier we had torrential rains. But His timing was perfect.

If you are able to give even more towards our vital mission of sharing the grace of God though the gift of reliable transportation, please visit our GIVE page to make a one-time or recurring donation. Your generosity is the fuel in our tank that keeps this ministry running!

Client 181: A Family of Seven

The Roberts family illustrates OnRamp’s mission PERFECTLY. Scott, a committed father, works as a full-time truck driver while his wife Chelsey, stays home to raise and school their five young children. They recently accomplished a huge goal: purchasing a home for their family in Navasota. Unfortunately, a short time afterwards, both of their vehicles broke down and were beyond repair. With the mortgage, groceries, and bills, there was simply not enough money left to afford a reliable vehicle that could fit all seven of them. That’s why their pastor at West Oaks Baptist, Joshua, nominated them to OnRamp. As Joshua shared with us,

“Scott has consistently held a job and has been making good decisions in finding his current job which allows him to be more present at home while providing a steady income. They have done very well managing on a single income with numerous stressors including having twins under three years old.”

As you can see, OnRamp is just a small part of the Roberts’ story. They have already accomplished so much! As a father of twins, I cannot imagine having twins PLUS three more kids, all under age ten! Loving and raising those kids while holding down a steady job and buying a home… they are the heroes in this story. We were just here at the right time to provide a tool they needed, a Honda Odyssey, to keep them moving forward.

Since this family lives in Navasota, we got to use the Grimes County Tax Office. It’s a bit of a hike but had no line! And this Honda Odyssey was MINT. Only 100k miles and perfect condition.

If you’d like to keep this ministry going, please consider joining us this Saturday, March 23, at our annual Drive with OnRamp event at BigShots from 5-8pm. Tickets are $50 each (almost all of that going straight to OnRamp) and include 3 hours of play, full use of the facility including putt-putt and corn-hole, and dinner. Children are more than welcome, and we’ll have a silent auction of great items to raise even more money. And for the first time, we’ve got a silent auction sponsor, Fries Financial Services, that will match the first $4,000 that comes into the auction!! So please bid, starting today!! Please click HERE to purchase tickets or bid on auction items.