Three things are necessary for struggling families to eke out a living in the urban sprawl of Northern Virginia.
“I look at it as a three-legged stool,” said Larry Gordon, president of the Falls Church-based Car Ministry, which has provided thousands of cars to needy families since 1984. “They need stable housing, employment and reliable transportation. When they need to sustain their employment, find better employment or find a second job, then transportation is critical. That’s where we come in.”
The demand now is far greater than the supply. Pre-pandemic, the Car Ministry donated 60-70 cars a year, but in 2023, the number bottomed out at 46. “We need to increase the donations and get back to where we were prior to COVID,” said Gordon.
Victims of domestic violence and refugees, often referred by diocesan Catholic Charities, frequently have multiple jobs and have difficulty keeping pace without a car.
“The lack of transportation is a stumbling block for many of our struggling and vulnerable families who need a way to find a dependable way to get to work, school, doctor appointments, and church,” said Stephen Carattini, president and CEO of diocesan Catholic Charities. “We’re so grateful to work with the Car Ministry, which understands how difficult it is for the men, women, and families we serve. They’ve provided vehicles for three refugee families served by Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services and six moms who are participating in our transitional housing and workforce development ministry at Catholic Charities St. Margaret of Cortona Transitional and Maternity Housing.”
The Car Ministry works closely with refugees from Afghanistan who come to Northern Virginia eager to start a new life. “I have a military background, so I have a real heart for helping Afghan refugees,” said Gordon. “They risked their lives and the lives of their families to help the United States. So, if they come over on a special immigrant visa, I try very hard to help them.”
To qualify for the program, applicants need to be employed to afford the cost of car ownership and insurance, and they must have a referral from a pastor or social worker. The impact of a car changes everything.
“The Car Ministry is life-changing,” said Kristin Coleman, program director of St. Margaret of Cortona. “Some mothers spend hundreds of dollars each week on Ubers or spend hours on public transportation to get to and from work, and therefore less time with their children each day. Others have vehicles when they first come to us, but then the vehicles break down and are not repairable. The mothers often lack sufficient savings to afford to purchase another vehicle. Poor credit scores and other factors contribute to their inability to purchase a car. In such cases, their jobs and livelihoods are at risk.”
The Car Ministry works closely with auto-repair shops that discount the cost of making a car ready. Donated cars are needed urgently.
“If you trade it in, you get very little for a car,” said Gordon. “If you donate it, you can take advantage of the itemized deduction on your taxes. But the most important incentive is knowing that you’re helping a family.”
“Receiving a car was an absolute blessing to me and my son,” said a grateful mother. “The Car Ministry allowed me to regain my freedom by not having another financial obligation that I wasn’t quite ready for. I was in desperate need of a car, and it helped me to get my life back on track.”
“One recent recipient came to St. Margaret’s in her third trimester of pregnancy fleeing a domestic violence situation,” said Coleman. “Her vehicle broke down not long after and was not repairable, after suspected tampering of the vehicle by her ex-boyfriend. She was just a few weeks away from her due date when the car died. I received a phone call from her crying in the middle of Little River Turnpike in Alexandria, when her car broke down in rush hour traffic. Not long after, the Car Ministry provided her with a Toyota RAV-4 — perfect for her and her baby boy.”
Find out more
To donate your car, go to carministry.org
