Back To School Means Better Transportation For Pasadena Family

Just in time for the start of the school year, Vehicles for Change awarded safe vehicles to 29-year-old Pasadena mom Amanda Kahn and another single mom from Baltimore, Megan Jenkins. The parents both received their cars on August 30 at the Vehicles for Change facility in Halethorpe.

A Baltimore-based nonprofit, Vehicles for Change empowers families and individuals with financial challenges to achieve economic and personal independence through car ownership and technical training.

A vehicle is a pathway to economic and personal independence for parents, and it contributes to better school performance for children. According to a 2014 study published in the Journal of School Effectiveness and School Improvement, arriving to school on time can increase a child’s math and reading scores because they don’t miss out on important instruction.

Kahn, a single mother of three children ages 9, 7 and 2 respectively, was awarded a 2004 Toyota Sienna. She lost her job two weeks before Christmas in 2018 and her car was later repossessed, causing stress and transportation issues.

“This vehicle is a fresh start for me and my family,” Kahn said. “Whoever donated this van has no idea how much of a difference this will make for us.”

With her new vehicle, Kahn is excited to get to and from work at Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Pasadena without having to rely on rides from friends and family members. She is also happy to “pay it forward” to other families in need.

“I plan to do as much as I can to help others get to where they need to go because I’ve been there, and I understand what it’s like,” she said.

A customer service representative, Jenkins was awarded a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta. Vehicles for Change guarantees low-interest car loans for the families of its program, which allows them to build credit. Vehicles awarded also carry a six-month/6,000-mile warranty, and additional repairs needed within one month of receiving a vehicle are done for free at the organization’s Full Circle Auto Repair & Training Center.

To donate a vehicle, make a monetary donation, or for more information about the nonprofit, visit www.vehiclesforchange.org or call 410-242-9674.