How I went from casual observer to active promoter
I’ve got a confession to make: I’ve been Facebook stalking a family for the past few years.
When Blake and Julie Jennings started OnRamp, Inc in College Station, I was extremely curious. I’d never heard of a non-profit model that gave vehicles to people in need. Was this sustainable? Wouldn’t people take advantage of a gift of this magnitude? I watched from the safety of my screen to see what would happen.
It was around this time last year that I was finally convinced. The model was working. God was clearly using OnRamp to provide for people in desperate situations and make inroads for His grace and good news to change lives – on both ends of the gift.
I was so impressed that when the opportunity came to bring OnRamp to Dallas, I jumped at the chance to be involved. Here’s what moved me from sitting on the sideline and spying through the windows to personally getting involved:
It’s so practical!
When you see the extent of how much a family is affected when their only source of transportation is taken away, it becomes clear how big a difference this one gift can make.
It’s so personal!
Seeing the faces of people who receive a vehicle, hearing their stories, getting to know families (who often have an amazing and mature faith) and getting to share God’s grace with them creates forever connections that benefit everyone involved.
It’s so possible!
Cars are everywhere. It seems like at any given time, more than half our population is in the process of cycling out a vehicle that no longer meets their needs and replacing it with one that does. Many cars still have tons of life left in them, yet we only receive a fraction of the value when we trade them in. Repurposing vehicles we are finished with to help families get back on their feet is very doable when it comes to scale and value.
I’m telling you all this because I want you to join me on this adventure. We are just getting started and have need for volunteers at every level. We especially need someone with bookkeeping experience and people who have the heart and skills for working with our client families. If you live outside of Dallas, I would love to chat about how we could help you start something similar in your area.
Of course, you won’t be surprised to hear we also need donations. We already have five families who have applied through an advocate for a vehicle, each with a compelling story. You can imagine what the cost of giving away five vehicles will be. Would you consider making a financial or vehicle donation toward this first round of clients that will allow us to help these families and tell their stories? No one involved with OnRamp DFW gets paid – everyone is a volunteer. That means everything we raise goes toward giving vehicles to people. You can donate here.
There’s no shame if you’re not interested or would rather watch for a while to see what OnRampDFW is all about – I did! You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or check back here every now and then to see what’s happening. You can also follow OnRamp in Brazos County here.
Your prayers and encouragement are welcome as we navigate our way through these early stages. If you have any questions, please reach out to me or anyone on the team.
