Since 2010, Wheels to Work (W2W) has helped more than 300 low-income clients obtain or repair a vehicle so they can get or keep a job. Qualifying applicants receive affordable, 0%-interest loans with payment plans that fit within their budgets so they can fix their current vehicle at discounted rates or obtain a new-to-them vehicle from WATEA’s donated vehicle inventory.
Community organizations partner with WATEA to ensure applicants are connected to key resources. In addition, regional businesses and educational partners offer discounted rates for vehicle parts and labor, keeping repairs affordable and maximizing the program’s impact.
Through Wheels to Work, likeminded community partners collaborate to assist people struggling with personal and financial challenges to overcome key barriers, including transportation. More than a dozen different non-profit and community organizations work together to provide applicants with access to the resources they need to get on a path to personal and financial success.
W2W applicants benefit from the program’s unique financial literacy component, which teaches them how to develop a viable spending plan and guides them through three introductory financial classes, ensuring they come away with skills to support their long-term financial success. Applicants also participate in a vehicle maintenance class to learn how to decrease vehicle ownership expenses.
The W2W program is a key part of Marathon County’s community service system. Organizations with clients facing a transportation barrier send them to W2W and in turn, W2W staff connect applicants to other organizations if they require additional resources. This symbiotic relationship has enabled the W2W program to thrive for more than a decade and has put countless individuals on the path to long-term success.