Real People, Real Stories

Real People. Real Impact.

Some of the Folks We’ve Given a Lift

We’ve been doing this work for over 12 years now—quietly, consistently, and without a lot of fanfare. These are just a couple stories that we had on file and wanted to share while we gather more recent ones. We’ve helped a lot of good folks since then, and we’ll be adding more of their stories here soon. Stay tuned—real people, real impact, and we’re just getting warmed up.

HARMONY

Harmony was a single mom with a 5-year-old daughter, juggling more than most people could handle. She was going to school full-time, working, and doing everything she could to build a future—not just for herself, but so she could help shape policies that actually support people.
But in the middle of all that, she was also spending five hours a day on buses—getting her daughter to school, getting to work, getting to class, hauling groceries, hauling a backpack, hauling life. She was exhausted, but she kept going because she didn’t see any other option.
When we called to tell her we had a car for her, she broke down in tears. She said just a few days earlier, she hit a wall—realized she couldn’t keep doing it, something had to give. Getting that car wasn’t just about easier transportation—it was a lifeline. One that showed up right when she needed it most.

EDWIN

Edwin is a Gulf War vet who’s been through hell and back—multiple injuries, skull reconstruction, PTSD, and agoraphobia—but he keeps showing up for his 10-year-old autistic son. A while back, his kid got bitten by a poisonous spider and Edwin didn’t even have a car to get him to the hospital. That’s when we knew something had to change.

He’s local, lives simple, stays clean and sober, and does whatever it takes to be a solid dad. People who know him say he never asks for anything, but he’s always the first to help if someone’s moving or needs a hand. His ex bailed and took their car too, leaving him stuck—but still standing. He’s even volunteered making glasses for folks who couldn’t afford them. Just a solid guy trying to do right by his kid.

FRANCINE

Francine’s a single mom of two who’s been pushing uphill most of her life. She was non-verbal as a kid due to Asperger’s, but you’d never know it now—she’s social, sharp, and has a way of lifting everyone around her. She used to spend 4–5 hours a day just getting around on buses, barely seeing her son in the East Bay and missing dinners with her daughter because public transit just ate up all her time.

She’s lived through homelessness, but never complains. People say she’s got this calm, positive energy that just makes you feel better being around her. At 43, she’s studying psych and sociology, working toward becoming a teacher, and already giving back by volunteering at the local senior center—where she now uses her car to help take seniors to their appointments. That’s the kind of full-circle story we live for.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. A working mom, spending hours on buses, finally gets a car—and now she’s using it to drive seniors to their appointments. Full circle.” – Nicole Thompson

“My dad was a vet, so seeing a fellow veteran get a car for him and his kid… yeah, I got choked up. It meant something.” – Jim Callahan

“The program isn’t about pity—it’s about respect. It gives a real shot to people who’ve earned it ten times over but haven’t caught a break.” – Jasmine Ruiz