Vehicles for Change Partners with Gaudenzia to Award Vehicles to Graduating Clients

Baltimore area nonprofit Vehicles for Change, Inc. (VFC) partnered with addiction treatment facility Gaudenzia to award vehicles to two graduating program participants to support their transition into the community as accountable and financially independent members of society. The cars were awarded during a ceremony on Aug. 20 at the Gaudenzia Weinberg Center in Baltimore.

This car award marks a significant milestone in VFC’s history, as former vehicle recipient and current vocational services supervisor at Gaudenzia, Lisa Phillips passes on the beacon of opportunity that enabled her to achieve economic and personal independence. Before receiving a car from VFC, Phillips was an unemployed single mother of three rebuilding her life after divorce. Receiving the vehicle enabled her to earn a bachelor’s degree and secure a job at Johns Hopkins. Now, 15 years later, Phillips is the vocational services supervisor at Gaudenzia, a current MBA student at the University of Baltimore, and owns a small business.

“Today I saw the same excitement that I felt 15 years ago in James and Sheldon,” said Phillips. “Back then, Marty (Schwartz) was the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker; he did it all. I feel blessed to have been a part of this wonderful organization’s growth and to be able to pass on the same opportunity that was given to me 15 years ago. My hope is that these two men are able to achieve limitless possibilities in their future and careers.”

Vehicle recipients, James Osborne and Sheldon Bean are employed as house managers through Gaudenzia’s Project Entry program; a ten week specialized intensive program focused on providing participants with the knowledge, skills and resources that will equip them with the tools to manage residential facilities. A resident of Glen Burnie, Osborne wakes up at 3:30 a.m. to take several forms of public transportation to Gaudenzia’s Park Heights location. Parkville resident Sheldon Bean’s work commute takes nearly two hours using the bus system. Receiving these vehicles will not only dramatically decrease their commutes, but also allow them the freedom to fulfill daily errands and routines, including going grocery shopping, to the Laundromat and to church.

“This car award is truly something special, as it exemplifies the infinite opportunities one has with access to personal transportation. Lisa is a glowing representation of how this program significantly impacts people’s lives,” said Marty Schwartz, VFC president. “There are a lot of synergies between Gaudenzia’s and VFC’s missions, as we both strive to provide a platform and opportunity to achieve a better quality of life, out of poverty, addiction or both.”

As vocational services supervisor, Phillips strives to provide Gaudenzia clients with a sound transition back into the community, removing barriers to employment and creating a career path for limitless professional growth. Phillips’ goal is to make this partnership with VFC more permanent, with the hopes of Gaudenzia becoming a referral organization for VFC’s programs. Gaudenzia has also referred two clients to VFC’s Center for Automotive Careers.

For more information, please direct all media inquiries and requests to Josie Hankey at 410-420-2001 or by email at Josie.Hankey@FallstonGroup.com.

About VFC
Vehicles for Change accepts and repairs donated cars and awards them to prequalified families for as little as $750, enabling low-income families to become self-sufficient. A nonprofit organization, VFC receives 99 percent of its car donations from the public. Since 1999, VFC has awarded more than 4,700 cars to low-income families, changing the lives of more than 16,400 people. Eligible families are referred to VFC through partnering social service type agencies. VFC car donors gain a substantial tax advantage that’s not available with most other charities. VFC is one of the few organizations in the country that makes it possible for donors to deduct the full fair market values of their car, because their donation is awarded to a low-income family.

For additional information about Vehicles for Change, or to donate a vehicle, visit www.vehiclesforchange.org or call 855-820-7990. Follow the organization on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vehiclesforchange and Twitter @vehicles4change, and explore their official hashtag “#VFCjourney.”

About Gaudenzia
Serving over 18,000 individuals annually, Gaudenzia operates 135 drug and alcohol treatment programs for men and women in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. Services include specialty programs for pregnant and parents mothers, adolescents, and people suffering from co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse. Gaudenzia’s mission is to help people affected by chemical dependency, mental illness and related conditions to achieve a better quality of life – allowing them to live as productive and accountable individuals. This is accomplished through comprehensive treatment and prevention methods guided by a philosophy of mutual concern and responsibility. Gaudenzia also conducts research and educates the community on the causes, treatment and prevention of addictions, mental illness and related conditions.