The Melvins vs. The Suburbs
If you’ve driven through Prosper, Texas lately, you know it’s booming! It has beautiful parks, great schools, and that wide-open Texas sky. But there’s at least one thing Prosper does not have: a reliable public transit system. The city is designed almost exclusively for vehicles. There are no DART trains, no regular bus routes, and often no sidewalks connecting residential areas to commercial ones. For anyone living in the suburbs, this isn’t shocking news and it definitely isn’t unique to Prosper. So what do you do when you live in a place like this but don’t have access to a vehicle? You become dependent on ride-share companies!
When Ashley and Jaren moved their family, including their one-year-old son, to Prosper last year, they were seeking a fresh start and a place to build a foundation. They brought tons of motivation: Ashley works as an online reading tutor, and Jaren works as a furniture restorer and salesman (and he’s also a talented artist building his own custom shoe business!). They had what they needed to succeed. . . That was until they lost their vehicle and had no means of getting another one.
In a rapidly growing, low-density suburb like Prosper, life quickly spirals out of control without reliable transportation. With no buses or rail lines available, the Melvins were isolated. As Ashley noted in her application, “Living in Prosper, TX, with streets that are not walkable, makes getting around even harder.”
For a family trying to establish themselves, this lack of mobility created expensive (and sometimes even scary) hurdles. Essential errands turned into time-consuming walks or costly ride shares that chipped away at their savings (around $300+ per month). Simple joys for their young son, such as attending playdates, visiting the library, or getting basic socialization, were put on hold. As Ashley shared, she felt like she was “failing in some way by not being able to give him these experiences.” And at times, their lack of transportation created genuinely scary situations, such as during a middle-of-the-night medical emergency when they had to wait for a ride-share to take their child to the hospital.
After walking alongside this family and seeing both their determination and their hardships, their advocate, Nakeesha, nominated them to us. We were honored to step into their story and provide a beautiful 2014 Nissan Murano for them that was donated to OnRamp DFW. This gift immediately unlocked new possibilities. Jaren can now access new vendors and clients to grow his business. They have access to medical care and peace of mind, knowing they can travel safely without the costs & wait of ride-shares. And just as importantly, they now have the freedom to enjoy “normal” family experiences such as going to church, visiting friends across town, or exploring somewhere new on the weekends.
A reliable vehicle will allow them to live life more fully, and we are honored to be a pit stop on their journey.
Story shared with permission from the client.
