Posted: 4/11/07
Gift of a car will help meet goals
 Accepting the keys to a 1993 Bonneville is Tracy Swinson, a MFIP participant. Handing her the keys is Pastor Brian Bergin of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Almelund, one of the original creators of the car donation program, and Tim Carlson, mechanic, and Perry Lindberg, far right, who did the body work on the donated car. |
By MaryHelen Swanson
Life doesn't always follow a fairy-tale order: grow up, get married, have children and live happily ever after.
Things don't always go the way we'd like, and when you're down, you're down.
Here in Chisago County there are people who place their hands over those who are struggling as they attempt to pull up those proverbial bootstraps.
Last Wednesday, at the Chisago County board meeting, one single mother, struggling to raise four kids, told the commissioners how much those hands have helped her.
Tracy Swinson, who spent 16 years as a stay-at-home mom, is in the work force now after receiving help through the MFIP (Minnesota Family Investment Program) program and she works toward a more dignified happily ever after life.
She has a goal to be financially independent. At the workforce drop-in center, she learned typing skills, and was able to use the Internet. She now has a job, eight blocks from her home.
She walks the eight blocks to work - rain or shine.
And she explained to the county commissioners that she is working to improve her skills to be even more employable.
Chisago County Health and Human Services director Mary Sheehan, on hand for the board meeting as Pine Technical College Employment and Training Center personnel reviewed their annual report for CY06, appeared proud of Swinson's accomplishments but seemed unable to contain some sort of excitement.
Swinson had barely completed her comments about the services she has received, when Sheehan introduced Pastor Brian Bergin of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Almelund.
In his pocket the pastor had a set of car keys, and within minutes, Swinson was the owner of a 1993 Bonneville, red in color.
The car came through the Car Donation Program originally started as a care ministry by Immanuel Lutheran. The program has now become a collaborative effort of the church, Communities Investing in Families (CIF), Chisago County HHS, Pine Technical College, Wally Carlsons' mechanics, Perry's Auto Salon, Hunter Auto, NAPA Auto Parts of NB and Lakes Free Church in Lindstrom.
According to Stefanie Leibel, executive director of CIF, "Each partner plays a critical role in making sure that family car donation program is successful at reaching its goal—to help low-income families move towards self sufficiency through the receipt of a donated vehicle."
"This is one of the best examples of collaboration out there, without the expertise of each of the partners, this would all fall apart," she said.
Pastor Bergin, who said he loves to work on cars, together with Marty Harding, started talking about a car donation program in 1999. When Randy Parker, of Parker Automotive in Almelund, entered the picture, the program started to emerge.
In the last five years somewhere between 35 and 40 cars have been given away through the program. It was noted that 80 percent of participants who received a vehicle in 2006-07 have obtained or sustained gainful employment as a result of the car donation program.
Swinson, who was delighted with the gift, quickly scooted out the board room door to the waiting car. And she was off in a flash.
She can now make the eight blocks to work more comfortably, especially in inclement weather, and hopefully it will be easier for her to achieve her goal of financial independence.
Beaming, as he is wont to do when giving the keys to a car recipient, Bergin said, "it's been a real joy to be a part of this ministry in Chisago County."
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