One man's mission helps many: Wheels of Hope cars provide opportunities
 |
| David Kennedy photo - Scott McRoberts, shown here with wife Melanie, is general manager of Hart Auto Body. With the help of his family-owned business, he is pursuing a mission of refurbishing donated vehicles and giving them people in need. |
As general manager of Hart Auto Body, 8 Industrial Lane in Florissant, McRoberts saw a unique opportunity to provide automobile transportation for individuals and families who don't own cars.
"This is an awesome ministry," said McRoberts, 44. "The whole purpose of the program is to bring people to God. Inside the church is where you're going to hear God's message."The program is relatively simple, McRoberts said. Wheels of Hope's goal is to provide good, safe, dependable vehicles to church-chosen recipients. The significant word, he said, is dependable.
"People without a car have problems getting to work or even holding down a job," he said. "A car opens up job and other opportunities."
To be successful, the program depends on Hart Auto Body and the participating churches, which are Lindsey Lane Church and First Christian Church, both in Florissant; Grace Church in Maryland Heights; First Baptist Church in Ferguson; and Hazelwood Baptist Church in Hazelwood. McRoberts wants to recruit other churches into the program.
"When people donate their old, junked vehicles to churches, they get a tax write-off and the church gets (the vehicle's) title," he said. The churches sends the vehicles to Hart Auto Body, where workers make under-the-hood repairs and paint about 39 percent of the cars, pickup trucks and minivans donated, McRoberts said. Other donated vehicles are used for parts.
To date, Wheels of Hope has repaired 42 vehicles for people in need.
Individuals and families who want to be considered for a Wheels of Hope vehicle must complete and submit an application to a participating church. The church then matches vehicles to applicants' needs. Church membership is not required.
Natalie Tull, who serves on the benevolence committee of the First Baptist Church of Ferguson, said McRoberts approached the church with a well-thought-out process.
"We've had almost a dozen cars donated, and we've given away one so far," Tull said.
The church has been part of the program for one year. "There are a dozen people on our church's waiting list. Our benevolence committee uses information on the applications to choose three applicants."
Then another couple chooses the ideal candidate for the vehicle from the three final applications.
"It's a hand-up, not a hand-out," said Melanie McRoberts, Scott's wife. "If the person selected is a contractor, he'll receive a pickup truck. If it's a large family, they'll get a minivan."
During the car presentation, the church's pastor also gives the recipient a Bible inscribed with the church's name and the names of those attending. "That connects the car to the church," Tull said.
McRoberts said each church determines the price the recipient pays for the car.
"We charge a nominal fee depending on the type of vehicle," Tull said. "That money goes into a fund to help fix up other cars."
McRoberts said he was inspired to seek a mission by a friend who, with his family, sold their possessions and now serve as missionaries in Papua, Indonesia.
"I was looking for something I could do," McRoberts said, noting that he had pondered the mission for months. Then it finally came to him. "I fix cars."
He piloted Wheels of Hope with his church, First Baptist Church in O'Fallon, and then approached the other religious institutions.
"This is a great (church) outreach," said Dale Zesch of First Christian Church of Florissant.
The church's program, now in its second year, asks recipients to pay $400 to $500 for a car. Unsalvageable cars are sold for scrap, with that money going toward vehicle repair.
Six recipients have received vehicles from Zesch's church. An additional 25 applications are in the church's file.
"A lot more people need cars than we have available," Zesch said. "Unfortunately there are people who have no income. You have to have income to be able to afford a car."
