Reading Man Receives Donated Car from Good News Garage
Kenneth Greenleaf of Reading gives a thumbs up beside his donated 2015 Toyota Corolla outside the Ascentria Care Alliance offices. The car came through Good News Garage, a nonprofit that has provided nearly 6,000 vehicles to New England neighbors in need. Photo provided by Good News Garage.
Reading, Mass. – With the average price of a used car in Massachusetts currently over $30,000, many people are priced out of obtaining these critical tools. For Kenneth Greenleaf of Reading, these high prices have pumped the brakes on his ability to make forward progress. Thankfully, a generous donor presented him with a life-changing gift that will provide an easier path forward – a donated car.
Greenleaf was awarded a 2015 Toyota Corolla with 142,000 miles from the car-donation nonprofit Good News Garage. The organization was founded in 1996 as one of the nation’s first charitable car donation programs. Over the last 30 years, it has helped car donors give nearly 6,000 vehicles to neighbors in need.
According to Good News Garage, high car prices and limited public transportation mean that many lower-income individuals and families have difficulty obtaining steady employment, bringing their kids to school or childcare, buying nutritious food, and meeting other critical needs here in New England. The organization also says the need for donated vehicles is at a critical level. Car donations are down and being far outpaced by the demand and need for reliable used cars.
Good News Garage awards cars to Massachusetts residents through a partnership with MassAbility, formerly known as the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC). Car recipients must be employed or have a written plan for employment and meet other qualifying criteria. This program is administered out of Good News Garage’s Worcester, MA office. Anyone interested in applying for MassAbility can find more information here: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massability
For more information or to donate a car, visit www.GoodNewsGarage.org.
Good News Garage is a member of Ascentria Care Alliance, one of the largest human services organizations in New England. With locations throughout the region, Ascentria is creating measurable, positive impact in communities by empowering people to reach beyond life’s challenges and thrive. For more information, visit ascentria.org.
# # #
About Good News Garage
Good News Garage launched in Burlington, Vermont in 1996 as one of the nation’s first car donation nonprofits providing affordable and reliable transportation options for people in need. Now expanded to Massachusetts and New Hampshire, Good News Garage has provided nearly 6,000 New England families with reliable vehicles. The organization’s goal is to increase opportunities for its clients to move out of poverty and into financial and social stability. For more information about Good News Garage or to donate a car, truck, or van visit GoodNewsGarage.org or call 877.GIVE.AUTO (877.448.3288).