Success Stories

Since 1996, more than 4,000 New England residents have received a reliable car from Good News Garage. These families have been able to get to work, care for their children, further their education, obtain medical care and access affordable housing - changing their lives!

Good News Garage polls our clients more than six months after receiving their car. Our year-to-date findings are that:

89% of clients have experienced increased economic opportunity
86% of clients have experienced an improved quality of life
83% of clients consider their car, more than 12 months after receiving it, to be safe and reliable
91% of Ready To Go riders report satisfaction with their rides

Good News Garage changes lives of New Englanders over the long-term. Meet some of our memorable clients:

Tashanda moved from New York City to Vermont hoping to find career opportunities in the African American salon business. Initially, Tashanda utilized GNG’s Ready To Go program, which brought her two-year old son to daycare and Tashanda to her internship. After riding a Ready To Go van for nine months, Tashanda applied for a Good News Garage car. She received a "new" Subaru, which allowed her to finish school, earn her salon license and get a job. “You wouldn’t think [not having a car] is such a big deal but it IS. I was able to see my family on the holidays, which was so special. I was able to have my son see Vermont and he was able to connect with this place in a way other then just going to school,” Tashanda said. After she’d been served well for six years, Tashanda donated the car back to Good News Garage! Tashanda said: "I thought giving my car back would help someone else like it helped me. Good News Garage gave me my independence."

Without a reliable vehicle to transport campers’ luggage, haul trash, move beds and carry yard debris, life for Camp Allen staff, in Bedford, NH, was a bumpy road. But that all changed when Good News Garage provided a refurbished truck to the camp. “Trying to manage and maintain a 60-acres residential camp that serves more than 75 campers with disabilities every week without a work truck was almost impossible,” said Mary Constance, executive director of Camp Allen. “This truck will make life so much easier for us!”

Thakur, his wife and three children are refugees from Bhutan who were resettled by Lutheran Social Services (LSS) in New Hampshire in 2009. In 2001, Thakur benefited from another LSS program when he received a Toyota Sienna van from Good News Garage. His job plus his van enable Thakur to be a self-sufficient and productive member of his community.

In 2004, Kristy, a single mom, was struggling to get to work, care for her son and attend school. Life without a car was a challenge. Then Kristy received a car from Good News Garage. “When I found out about my car, I couldn’t believe it! I was so happy that I cried!” Four years later, Kristy was working fulltime as a preschool teacher and was able to purchase a van for her family. When deciding what to do with her car, Kristy felt that the right thing would be to donate her car back to Good News Garage. “I loved that Subaru, it was my baby and I’m glad someone else will be able to use and love it!” said Kristy. Good News Garage evaluated the car and was able to provide it to another deserving family.

Nancy: "If not for this program I’m sure I would have ended up in a shelter with no job, no self worth and no end in sight. I know there are many people out there in the same situation as myself - working very hard with no light at the end of the tunnel. People like myself need organizations like the Good News Garage, so if you have a car you no longer need please donate it to help another struggling family.”