Client 75: A Gift for the Whole Family
Recently, we had the privilege of gifting a beautiful Toyota Yaris to a hardworking mother of two who has continued moving forward despite significant challenges in her life. She has asked us to keep her identity private, but we wanted to highlight how impactful a car can be to a family.
Mariam* was nominated to us by her advocate, Rondell Tucker, an Assistant Principal with Red Oak ISD. Rondell met this hardworking mother after getting to know her kids through an afterschool program.
Like many of our advocates, Rondell noticed that Mariam was doing everything she could to take care of herself and her kids, and yet without access to reliable transportation everything was significantly harder that it ought to be!
We often talk about how a reliable vehicle can change the life of the person receiving it. (Mariam will be able to get to work easier, save more money, and care for those around her better). But giveaway days are a powerful reminder that the impact of a vehicle reaches much further than one individual.
Mariam brought both of her kids with her to the giveaway, and they were an absolute joy to have with us. They were excited to see the car and celebrate the moment with their mom. Her younger son, especially, quickly became our unofficial photographer. He wanted to take pictures of everyone at OnRamp DFW with his iPad, and he had a great time trying on our hats and watches and taking pictures with them.
Seeing the excitement on their faces was a simple but meaningful reminder of why we do what we do.
When we give a car to one person, we are often giving it to an entire family.
A reliable vehicle affects how children get to school, activities, appointments, and community events. It affects whether a parent can consistently get to work and provide for their family. It creates opportunities for families to participate more fully in their communities and spend less time worrying about how they will get from one place to another.
For this family, we know that this Toyota Yaris becomes a tool that helps them keep moving forward together.
We are grateful to Rondell for seeing the perseverance in this mother and believing she deserved an opportunity to move toward her goals with one less barrier in the way. And we are grateful to everyone who makes these giveaway days possible.
Story shared with permission of client. Her name has been changed to protect her identity.
Photos by jDunlop Media
