Providing Reliable Used Cars to Low-Income Families

An Effective Practice

This practice has been Archived and is no longer maintained.

Description

Lack of dependable transportation presents a significant barrier to consistent employment for many low-income workers. Wheels to Work, a joint venture of Rockingham Community Action and Good News Garage - New Hampshire, provides low-income families with dependable transportation at affordable terms. The program offers tax credits to companies that support the program and car loan recipients receive budget and car maintenance training.

Goal / Mission

The mission of Wheels to Work (W2) is to promote self-reliance and the development of a productive workforce in New Hampshire by providing low-income workers who lack reliable transportation with dependable cars at affordable terms.

Results / Accomplishments

Wheels to Work has been able to deliver vehicles to over 40 low-income New Hampshire families. Wheels to Work conducted a survey in May of 2001 and maintains regular contact with all the participants on the road. Over 85 percent of W2 participants have maintained employment and all but one have continued to make an effort on keeping the loan current by making payments to the loan institution. Also, the Good News Garage has received considerable national attention for its W2 and other transportation assistance programs. In July 2000, Good News Garage was honored as one of the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Best of the Best non-profit agencies in the U.S.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Wheels to Work Program, Rockingham Community Action
Primary Contact
Chris Bober
AmeriCorps*VISTA
Wheels to Work Program
Rockingham Community Action
7 Junkins Avenue
Portsmouth, NH 03801
1-877-GIVEAUTO (448-3288)
info@rcaction.org
http://www.rcaction.org
Topics
Economy / Poverty
Community / Transportation
Economy / Employment
Organization(s)
Wheels to Work Program, Rockingham Community Action
Source
Corporation for National and Community Service
Date of publication
11/20/2001
Location
New Hampshire
Target Audience
Families
Additional Audience
Low-Income

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An Effective Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success and/or promise in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures of improvement in outcome of interest (i.e. increase in voter registration, not just delivery of voter registration drive) and/ or the outcome measure is increased or improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant.