Working families find hope in free cars

Where would you be without your car?

It might be something we take for granted, and this morning one group who knows about that reality has hope through a local charity.

More than a dozen needy families are getting back on the road because of Wheels of Success, which is providing them with donated vehicles. But it's not just a free giveaway, and that's what makes the program special.  

You must be employed or referred by a social services organization, something like Metropolitan Ministries. If you are employed, you simply go online and fill out an application.

"It took about an hour and a half on a bus ride to get there," said Dennis Hebert, who got a new job three months ago. "If I missed the bus, I was going to end up being late for work, or I had to call out if I couldn't make it that day."

His wife, Zida, says she had to take three different buses over a four-hour span just to get to work. Now, they have a car donated through the Wheels of Success event.

"It's a huge blessing from the Lord, yes," Hebert said. "This is going to help us with our job, help us keep our job. Not only that, we're moving out this week, so this is a huge blessing from the Lord."

Susan Jacobs of Wheels of Success said the program usually gets about 60 applicants, and on a good year they hope to give away about a dozen cars.

"We'll take anything, running or not, even if it can't go out we can use some of the parts," she said.

For more information on donating or receiving, visit wheelsofsuccess.org.