The Frederick News-Post: Second Chances Garage receives $15,000 to help fund vehicle program
Second Chances Garage has received a $15,000 grant to help pay for vehicle repairs in one of its programs.
Second Chances Garage is a Frederick County nonprofit that provides motor vehicles to Frederick County residents who need a “second chance.” It focuses on independent living by supplying vehicles to qualified people and offering repairs, Barbara Swanhart, the nonprofit’s executive director, said.
Most people the organization helps are working individuals or families barely making ends meet, she said.
“With the assistance of a car in their life and their family, they are bettering themselves in the following ways: education, job, even just family enjoying and able to go somewhere for a fun day out,” she said.
The $15,000 will go toward vehicle repairs in the nonprofit’s Low-Cost Vehicle Program.
In the program, people who meet select criteria receive a vehicle, and the garage repairs it whenever necessary.
Recipients must be employed, an active participant or recent graduate with one of Second Chances’ partner agencies, and have roughly $300 of expendable income a month to cover auto insurance, gas, maintenance and repairs.
In 2023, Second Chances gave out about 38 vehicles, Swanhart said.
She said the nonprofit was overjoyed since this was the first time it received grant money from out of state. It received all of the money it requested.
Second Chances Garage received money from the Rosendin Foundation, based in Ashburn, Virgina.
The Rosendin Foundation also gave $10,000 to a nonprofit based in Boyds in Montgomery County.
Without a full-time grant writer, Second Changes Garage often reapplies to the same Frederick County foundations for funds, but they don’t have endless money, she said.
“This year, we said we’d better start reaching out to other parts of the state or parts of the country to recognize other streams of grant revenue,” Swanhart said.
