Recycled Rides donates car
to deserving local family
Candis and Michael Allen, hard-working parents of four, experienced a series of incidents beyond their control, leading
to unemployment and homelessness.
After an unexpected job loss and eviction from their home two years ago, Candis Michael and their children, ages 3–17, turned to Family Promise of Greater Des Moines for shelter. Both quickly found new jobs and the family moved into an apartment
of their own.
However, since they didn’t have a car, Michael and Candis had
to ride the bus and walk the rest of the way to work. The bus schedule was inconsistent, and they were often late. Within a month of leaving Family Promise, both Michael and Candis had lost their jobs.
As with many obstacles that seem insurmountable, one small change can make a huge difference. Since the family’s troubles stemmed from lack of reliable transportation, the
National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides™ — a program to repair and donate cars to those in need — presented the family with keys
to a newly refurbished car on Thursday, July 13, 2017.
Recycled Rides collaborated with local organizations to help the family of six, including Family Promise of Greater Des Moines,
R. Jones Collision 1, State Farm (which donated the vehicle),
Ankeny Auto Body1 technicians (who assisted with repairs) and collision repair students at
Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) (who volunteered their time and talent to refurbish the car as a community service project).
After receiving the keys to the car Candis stated, “Thank you for everyone coming together as a community to help out my family."
Candis and Michael are both employed again, and thanks to the Recycled Rides program, they’re well on their way to financial independence and a brighter future.
Click on the links below to see local media stories covering the donation!
