A domestic violence survivor in New Hampshire has a lot to look forward to thanks to a non-profit called Good News Garage that provides cars to working families in need.
It's a luxury many people take for granted, but for one Salem mother of two, a car means so much more than a ride to work.
"Freedom," Kristy said. "The ability to know that if I need to take them some place, I can."
Kristy asked us not to use her last name, since she and her young kids are domestic violence survivors. Kristy's been working for years to build a new life for her family, and has been borrowing a car to get to and from her new job as a licensed nursing assistant - but not anymore.
"To get a piece of my life back that has been gone for so long, it's a feeling you can't put into words," she said.
She's now got the keys to a state inspected, 2009 Ford Fusion, thanks to the Good News Garage, a non-profit that partners with local auto shops, like Tires Too in Londonderry, to recondition donated cars for working families in need.
"It's an honor and a privilege to be a part of the process of changing people's lives," said Good News Garage Marketing Manager Susan Swain.
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The donated Ford Fusion needed a lot of work, so the team at Tires Too donated a new engine and all the work necessary to make the car safe for Kristy and her kids.
"For me it's a good feeling to give back to the community," Tires Too Owner Russell Hilliard said.
Having a car means Kristy can go to school in the fall to become a registered nurse, but most importantly, it means putting the past in the rearview mirror for Kristy and her kids.
"I want them to see me as a strong mom and that I can do anything, so that they can do anything," Kristy said.
Since 1996, Good News Garage has provided more than 4,000 cars to working families in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
To fine out more about the non-profit organization, visit GoodNewsGarage.org.
