When you think about ways to put an end to poverty do you think about low cost car repair? Don’t feel bad, most people do not. When we talk about ways to end poverty we talk about the tools that it takes to end poverty.
Most of the time those conversations do not revolve around helping people get into a trustworthy preowned car. Yet transportation is one of the critical tools that can help to end poverty for families. Luckily there is an organization that is focusing their energy on helping people get low cost car repair and support them in their quest for affordable transportation to help “Lift” them out of poverty.
The Trickle-Down Effect
Having reliable transportation ignites the trickle-down effect of success. What does having reliable transportation mean to millions of families living in poverty? Consider the following:
- The ability to take advantage of better paying employment opportunities.
- The ability to get job training.
- The ability to get your kids to extracurricular activities, the doctors, and more.
A vehicle can be the catalyst to a better life for the entire family. A family car that provides reliable transportation can mean that the next generation has opportunities that the last did not. It can set the ball in motion for each generation to improve their station in life.
Everything from education to nutrition can be affected positively by having a trustworthy form of transportation. Many people are kept from taking advantage of growth opportunities because they have no way of getting where they need to go.
Typically people living in poverty are surrounded by other people living in the same conditions which means asking a friend or neighbor for a ride is not an option. Paying for a car for hire is likely not going to be in the budget. Life without reliable transportation can really get people stuck in the never ending cycle of poverty.
Having a reliable form of transportation can help to even the playing field and provide people with the opportunities that they deserve. It can provide hope, and empower people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and get ahead in life.
Simple things like taking your kid to the dentist can be impossible without reliable transportation. Getting health care for the family can be impossible. It can be more expensive to live without a car than it is to live with one.
You can be limited where you can shop because you do not have transportation to get to the bigger less expensive grocery stores. You can be limited to what you can eat because you cannot get to the stores that offer better quality foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. You can be limited to what healthcare you receive. You can be limited to what jobs you can get. Life can be very limited when you are stuck without transportation.
The Clear Need For Reliable Transportation
About 45% of the population in the US does not have access to public transportation. That means they either have to walk where they are going, drive or be driven. For many Americans walking to work, to medical appointments to get groceries, and more is simply not possible. The distance is too great. Driving is the only way to get to employment opportunities, medical appointments, job training, buy groceries for their families, and more.
Of course, car ownership is expensive. Between the initial purchase price, the cost of auto insurance, and regular auto repair services it can really break the bank. This can become a tremendous barrier to families that want to do better in life.
Finding a way to keep a car on the road is vital to keeping your job, feeding a family, taking advantage of education opportunities, and getting the care that a family needs. While most people think about things like education and job training as a way to help families lift themselves out of poverty, it is important that transportation is part of the recipe.
An organization called “The Lift Garage” is helping people get the low cost car repair that they need and more. They provide free or low cost automotive repair, and pre-purchase inspection services to families and individuals in need.
Lifting People Up By Ensuring They Have the Transportation They Need to Succeed
The Lift Garage program provides free and low cost auto repair services to income eligible families and individuals in Minnesota, but that is not all they do. One of the biggest problems people run into when they are making that initial investment for a used car is desperation. They are so desperate to finally have the transportation that they need, that they skip over a very important step in the process.
Enter The Lift Garage program. The Lift program will provide a free prepurchase inspection to identify any problems with a used vehicle that may or may not have been disclosed by the used car dealerships. Often cars are sold “as is” without any warranty. An “as is” vehicle can be affordable but it can also come with a high repair price tag that is unknown to someone that is lacking a mechanics eye.
This prepurchase inspection can help people to make smarter buying choices and put them behind the wheel of a reliable vehicle. Of course, finding a reliable vehicle that needs minimal work also keeps the costs of auto repair services down.
Helping people find the right car and get low car repair services are a great way to help people find the independence that they need to improve their financial standing. The Lift organization does one better. They hold classes to teach people about car maintenance and general repairs.
It is one thing to provide low cost car repair and an entirely another thing to actually teach people how to make their own repairs. Many people have no idea what the difference is between the Dodge charger parts and Ford parts. They also do not recognize what an oil dipstick is and how to check your oil.
It may seem like a foreign concept to someone that grew up with a family car in the household, but if you have never owned a vehicle nor did your parents, you really just have no idea where to start when it comes to maintaining a vehicle. The Lift Garage steps in and provides classes to new car owners to help them to learn how to care for their car.
The class covers things like how to check the oil level, what to do in an emergency, and how to recognize potential problems. The information that is shared is the basic information that many people take for granted but that can also help prevent breakdowns and vehicle damage.
Learning the Basics
For many Americans, there seems to be an innate understanding of things like how to deal with auto insurance companies, or what to do after a car crash, but if there has never been a family car in the home, you would never have been exposed to this information.
Lift is there to help. Every person that drives will likely be in some form of accident and have to file an insurance claim about every 17 years. What if you literally had no clue what to do? Low cost car repair is a wonderful opportunity for many people but teaching people about car ownership may be an even better opportunity.
Knowing that you can hire a car crash attorney to protect your rights, knowing what type of auto insurance you should get, and knowing how to do the basics for your vehicle is tremendous. Lift not only helps people in a tight spot but they help people to become autonomous when it comes to car ownership.
The Services At Lift
Taking advantage of the services at Lift start with filling out some paperwork and providing income information. Providing proof of income is discussed with each client. Things like a SNAP benefits card can be used, proof of SSI or SSDI income, pay stubs, and other documents to substantiate eligibility may be required.
Once eligibility requirements are met, low cost car repair, or free car repair services can be provided. What services does Lift offer? Necessary services to keep your car on the road. Things like auto detailing services to make your vehicle look better is not on the menu but the following services are:
- Express services like exterior bulb replacement, battery replacement, windshield wiper installation.
- Inspection and repair services.
- All types of repairs.
The Lift Garage provides a wide range of auto repair services from the most basic to the most complex. They have the skillset to manage any type of auto repair.
Of course, there are limits to the services that they offer. For example, you were in a car accident, and you have a car accidents attorney managing your claim, you may not be able to get assistance from the Lift Garage.
Your crash lawyer can help you to get situated with repairs. There may be some other limits to the services, the best way to find out about eligibility and service support is to contact The Lift Garage directly.
If You Need Help
If you need help with car repairs and think you may be income-eligible the best way to find out is to call Lift Garage directly and learn more about the program. Lift repairs can be as low as 33% of what car repairs cost at other garages.
Depending on your situation low cost car repair may be possible through Lift Garage. The approval process is simple. You may be able to get your vehicle back on the road for a fraction of the cost that you have been quoted by other shops. The only way to find out is to contact Lift Garage.
How Can You Help?
If you are interested in helping this very worthy cause there are ways that you can help support this organization. This is a 501 c 3 organization which means your gifts are fully tax-deductible. Whether you choose to make a one-time gift or an ongoing monthly gift you will be making a tremendous difference for Minnesotans and their family.
Low cost car repair through The Lift Garage helps people to become self-sufficient, improve their life through employment, and move forward in a positive direction. You can be a part of making life better for your neighbors in Minnesota with a gift of any amount.
What are you doing with your old car? You can donate it to the program and help a family get a reliable form of transportation while you get a nice tax credit in the process. The Lift Garage partners with CARS (Charitable Adult Rides and Services) to auction off any car donations with the proceeds going right to The Lift Garage.
Making a real difference in someone’s life is easy through this great organization by providing one of the most basic tools necessary to succeed; transportation. Lift Garage is helping people get to where they need to go.
Why Should You Help?
There are plenty of charitable organizations that need support, why should you consider Lift Garage when you are thinking about where to donate? Lift Garage is less of a hand out and more of a hand up. Instead of making people rely on the charity they teach, repair, and keep people moving along.
Reliable transportation, job opportunities, training, education, and health care are what help to lift people out of the cycle of poverty. Your donation will keep people working and striving for a better future.
Of course, not everyone that receives Lift Garage services is employed or can be employed. Lift helps the elderly maintain their independence through low cost car repair. It helps the disabled to have reliable transportation that they need to get to medical appointments. You can be a part of all the good the Lift Garage is doing.
Learn more about this great organization and the way they are affecting peoples lives with low cost car repair. Make a donation, get your tax deduction, and know that you are helping people to live better in Minnesota.