Three families get vehicles from ‘Way to Work’ program
N.Y. » Three Dutchess County families were presented with used vehicles on Friday, Dec. 18, as part of the “Way to Work” program administered by the county’s Department of Community & Family Services and Workforce Investment Board.
The program, formerly known as “Wheels to Work,” started in 2001. It is designed to help lowincome residents get and keep a job by providing them with reliable transportation to and from work.
Qualified participants were required to be recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or have a family income less than 200% of the federal poverty level.
For every family that receives a car, uses it to keep or gain employment, and avoids temporary assistance, Dutchess County saves $1,614 a month. Within a year, that savings equals the cost of a new car.
At the presentation, County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “More than a vehicle, today’s recipients are receiving a chance at a better life, for themselves and their families. These vehicles represent a hope for the families who receive them: the ability to drive their children to doctor’s appointments and school, travel to the supermarket to buy and prepare healthy meals or obtain more or better employment,” according to a prepared statement.
Molinaro said the county “is proud to offer this opportunity to families who have been dedicated to improving their lives, and we look forward to counting today’s recipients among the program’s multitude of success stories.”
The Department of Community & Family Services’ approach to help transition residents to work is a multi-faceted one that includes work-skills training, daycare for eligible families and the “Way to Work” program provided under contract by the Workforce Investment Board, according to a press release.
In addition to vehicles from local used car dealers, recipients are taught car care and defensive driving. They are also provided assistance in obtaining learner’s permits and driver’s licenses. The program also offers driver experience training, car maintenance instruction and auto repairs.
These vehicles help families obtain and retain employment, acquire jobs with more hours or higher pay, gain access to higher education to increase the recipients’ wage potential, or take their children to and from school, according to organizers.
The families selected to receive the vehicles were chosen based on specific program guidelines, including their work-related need for transportation and the “commitment necessary to continually move forward toward financial independence.”
Community & Family Services Commissioner Sabrina Jaar Marzouka said 90% of past vehicle recipients have remained independent from temporary assistance
Dutchess County Community Solutions for Transportation has benefited more than 3,500 families since 2001, providing 909 cars, including several vehicles donated to local veterans, along with registration and car insurance deposits. In 2020, 45 residents participated in the program, receiving driving lessons, financial literacy and vehicle maintenance, among other components.
Among Friday’s recipients was a single mother from the village of Millerton who is raising her teenage daughter and two toddlers and works full time to support her family. Reliable transportation will give her the opportunity to choose different shifts, to look for promotions and to shop for groceries at stores other than convenience stores, organizers said.
Since the former “Wheels to Work” program began in 2001, 311 Dutchess County residents have received their New York state learner’s permit; 1,045 people participated in driving experience classes; 500 individuals completed the fivehour, pre-licensing class; 489 passed their state road test and received a driver’s license; and 750 vehicle repairs were approved on behalf of program participants.
More information about the “Way to Work” program is available on the Department of Community & Family Services website.