Sometimes a person/family just needs a little help to keep their car on the road so that they can make it to work or get medical treatment. Other times, they are in dire need of new transportation. FID is one of the only programs in Washtenaw County that doesn’t sell a donated car but passes it on to the people who need it most.
Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Milan, Saline, Ypsilanti and more
Car Repair Program
We also assist our low-income neighbors with minor car repairs. Like the car donation program, we require that applicants use their car for transportation to work or regular doctor’s appointments. FID is one of only a few programs in Washtenaw County that provides funds for car repairs.
Car Testimonials
In recent years, Friends In Deed has provided youth vital access to transportation, by helping youth obtain a vehicle and/or maintain and repair a vehicle. Perhaps because our neighbor to the east, Detroit, MI. is the “motor city,” public transportation is not readily accessible or effective for many youth to use to achieve their health, employment, education, and recreational needs. In the poorest regions of the county, where many youth can afford to live, there is no public transportation at all. Likewise, for young families with multiple children, public transportation is neither convenient nor accessible. In such situations when a young adult cannot get to their job, cannot transport their children to necessary health and education services, or cannot get to their vital appointments, they are left floundering in a cycle of poverty. Friends In Deed has stopped this cycle for some youth with whom Ozone House has worked. Without the support of Friends In Deed, these youth and their families would not be able to maintain their housing by virtue of the inaccessibility of public transportation. This service that Friends In Deed provides is vital, and I urge you to fund their request for support so that they can continue to help the neediest families in the community.
The families that benefit from the automotive support program are served with donated vehicles and repairs to provide reliable transportation for employment or necessary appointments. As an automotive repair facility which desires to give back to the community, partnering with Friends In Deed, provides the critical element of screening the recipients thus preserving and managing the resources for those in need. Charitable requests for automotive repairs are funneled towards the expert evaluation of Friends In Deed.
Donated vehicles are accepted or rejected based on a careful technical evaluation which determines whether a vehicle will be able to meet the need of the client and not drain the resources for future recipients. Reliable transportation is critical to providing a path to independence.
Several years ago I was a passenger in an automobile accident. Since that time I have struggled to get my life back on track. I attend daily appointments as part of the rehabilitation process. I have had financial difficulties trying to maintain basic needs, but in my time of crisis, Friends In Deed was there for me. They went above and beyond offering warm and caring problem solving suggestions, along with the financial resources.
When my car became inoperable, they placed me on an automobile referral list, and I am now a recipient of the auto donation program. My progress is coming along and Friends In Deed is a significant part of that journey. This program offers hope to people who have none. I thank God for them everyday.
I am writing as the head of the St. Francis of Assisi Christian Service Ministry to commend Friends in Deed and show how important their Car Repair and Transportation work has been to us. As part of our ministry we have helped about eight people every year with needed car repairs. Often we can fund this ourselves but we can always count on Friends in Deed to help out with money or donated car repair when needed.
More important is their help with our car donation program. We rely on Friends in Deed to provide us with the names of clients. They verify for us that the client is truly in need but can still afford the car we provide. We do not have the ability to do this verification so our car donation program could not continue without it.
Because of our partnership with Friends in Deed we are able to transfer about four cars every year to persons in need. Some recent examples include:
- A woman unable to complete her degree due to lack of a car. With the car we provided, she was able to finish her BA degree at EMU.
- A single mother forced to quit her job and get one within walking distance at half her previous salary. With the car we provided she is able to find better paying work and continue her education at Washtenaw Community College.
In closing, we have always found the staff at Friends in Deed both dedicated and hard working. Without their help, our car repair and transfer programs would be impossible.