Every day, customers bring their vehicles to New Heights Auto Services for oil changes, brake repairs, tires, and routine maintenance. What many don’t realize is that every repair also helps local families overcome one of the greatest barriers to stability: reliable transportation.
One of those families is Elizabeth.
Just months after leaving a shelter, Elizabeth was bicycling 10 miles to work and another 10 miles home each day. As winter approached, she knew she would soon lose her job. Without that income, she would also lose her apartment a devastating setback after working so hard to rebuild her life.
Today, Elizabeth is still employed, remains housed, and is building a career helping children with autism. She credits reliable transportation with changing the trajectory of her life.
“Being able to receive this transportation revolutionized everything that was going on for me,” Elizabeth said. “Otherwise, I would have 100% lost my job and lost my place to live.”
The vehicle has also allowed her to regularly visit her 10-year-old son, who is profoundly autistic and lives in a residential treatment program.
“If it weren’t for this transportation, I wouldn’t be able to have regular visits with him,” she said. “Phone calls and video calls just aren’t enough for his communication needs.”
Elizabeth’s story is one of many.
Over the past two months alone, New Heights Auto Ministry has served 46 local families through its transportation programs and is preparing to provide another donated vehicle in the coming weeks.
Through its Vehicle Repair Program (VRP), New Heights helps qualified families afford critical vehicle repairs that keep their existing vehicles safely on the road. When a vehicle cannot be repaired economically, the organization’s Vehicle Provision Program (VPP) provides dependable donated vehicles to qualifying participants, giving families a fresh start and renewed hope.
“Many of the people we serve aren’t looking for a handout—they’re looking for an opportunity,” said Chris Britton, Executive Director of New Heights CCDA. “They’re working hard, raising families, pursuing education, and building better lives. Sometimes the only thing standing between them and success is reliable transportation. We’re honored to stand in that gap.”
What makes New Heights different is its business model.
Rather than relying solely on donations and grants, New Heights operates New Heights Auto Services, a full-service automotive repair shop open to the public. Revenue generated through retail automotive repair helps fund transportation assistance for local families, creating a sustainable model that allows the community to directly support the ministry simply by choosing where they have their vehicle serviced.
In recent months, New Heights Auto Services has strengthened its operations by improving customer communication, streamlining workflow, and significantly reducing turnaround times. Those improvements have allowed the shop to better serve both retail customers and ministry participants while continuing to expand its impact throughout the community.
“When someone brings their vehicle to New Heights Auto Services, they’re doing more than maintaining their car,” Britton said. “They’re helping a parent keep a job, a family remain in their home, or a mother visit her child. Every repair performed in our shop helps make stories like Elizabeth’s possible.”
Learn More
To learn more about New Heights Auto Ministry, including the Vehicle Repair Program, Vehicle Provision Program, eligibility requirements, or how to donate a vehicle, visit www.newheightsautoministry.com.
If you’re looking for honest, professional automotive repair and would like to support the ministry through your business, choose New Heights Auto Services. Call or text 269-932-3637 to schedule an appointment.
