KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — A Kootenai County organization is making a change with a car exchange program that lets low to middle income households buy vehicles at a discounted price.
An essential component to success is reliable transportation, but this necessity is also a privilege.
“Driving my old car, every time I wanted to take one step forward, I literally felt like I was taking two steps back,” said Sunnie Heling who participated in ‘Rides for a Reason’, a car exchange program started by Charity Reimagined.
Having a reliable car is something Heling, single mother of two and full-time students at North Idaho College, has wanted for a long time. Thanks to this program, this dream finally became a reality.
“I love my new car, my kids love my new car and they’re constantly just like ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe that we have something line this,'” Heling said. “It’s absolutely life-changing.”
Rides for a Reason gives a discounted car along with a budgeting class from Mountain West Bank and a car maintenance class at Lake City Auto Car to low and middle income families.
Charity Reimagined’s Maggie Lyons says what stands out about this program is “the incredible joy, appreciation and life-changing impact that cars are making in the people who have bought the cars.”
Rides for a Reason is made possible through a partnership with the Kootenai Technical Education Campus, where vehicles are donated and fixed up my students.
“We’re trying to teach them a trade, but we’re also trying to teach them to be part of the community and to give back to the community,” said KTEC teacher John Mackesy.
It is those students that brough Heling’s car back to life. For her, it meant the gift of never having to worry if she will make it somewhere again.
“The privilege of being able to juts get up and know that I can drive myself there. I can get my daughters where they need to go is a true blessing,” she said.
You can find more information on this initiative and how to donate a vehicle here.
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