The Cares Project puts people on the road to financial success

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — A lot of people are struggling to manage their finances right now, but it’s especially tough for low-income families.

One organization is helping people by providing reliable transportation with help from a community foundation. The Cares Project, Inc. is also teaching them how to manage their money along the way.

“We believe reliable transportation is an absolute necessity for a family’s well-being, ” says CEO Scott McLaughlin.

Vehicles get you to your job, appointments, the grocery store and the kids to school, but some people struggle to find a dependable ride.

“Our average client has a FICO score of 534 points. That means the bank won’t lend to them, but we will because we teach people how to budget their money, how to manage their money and then we have a 3-5 year relationship with them, ” says McLaughlin.

The Cares Project puts people in the driver’s seat of a new vehicle and their finances. A grant from the Winston-Salem Foundation and a partnership with Flow Motors allows the nonprofit to make a real difference.

Kevin Bruce, a sales representative for Flow Motors, says it’s about trying to take care of the people in the community. “People who get back and forth to work turn out to be better citizens because they can acquire things they want and take care of the people they love.”

Courtney Johnson says she learned about the program at the right time. “When it came between choosing buying food for my kids and paying for my car, they told me ‘it’s okay,’ they really did.” She’s since paid off her loan and is on the road to success.

Robert Hinton says The Cares Project gave him a second chance at building his credit. “I was considered high risk, so therefore I was not given opportunities everybody else had been given. I look at this as being such a blessing for me.”

He was forced to rely on city transportation but often had trouble navigating the routes. Now he’s in his own car and can get where he wants to go.

“There’s no more having to wait,” says Hinton. “The convenience of having it goes beyond what I could have imagined.”

McLaughlin says the average client sees an increase of 107 points in their FICO score over the life of their loan so that by the time they pay off their car loan, “they’re ready to move into the economic mainstream and that’s what The Cares Project is all about..”

If you think this program could help you, you can apply online at www.thecaresproject.org .

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