In today’s world of crazy national politics, we need to pull back and focus where we can make a difference … locally in our own communities.

How? Become a vehicle donor.

As a mother drove home from work one night, the most unbelievable thing happened. She struck a black bear on the highway. Needless to say, her van was totaled as was the bear.

Erin was amazed that she didn’t cause a pileup behind her. “God was definitely watching over me,” she said as steered her van to the side of the road where it stopped running.

Sadly enough this event caused Erin to eventually lose her job because she had no transportation to work.

Erin is a single mother with four children. Because of the lack of transportation, a simple act of grocery shopping took on a new challenge.

Due to living on Route 356, she would leave the younger kids in the care of the older kids while she walked dragging a wagon to the local market three miles away.

A vehicle represents independence, a path to self-sufficiency. Without having a way to work, how can you convince a business owner to hire you and rely on you to show up for your shift.

How can you get your children to the doctor’s when they are sick?

What happens if you run out of milk or bread on the weekend?

Over the past 30 years, The Lighthouse Foundation has been a light in the storms of many people’s lives — providing hope. The Low-Income Car Ownership program (LICO) is a ministry helping working individuals to realize their dream of vehicle ownership and self-sufficiency.

Through the generosity of individual donors and businesses, we accept all kinds of vehicles as donations. Because the intent is to get the donated vehicle repaired, inspected and into the hands of a needy individual, the donor can realize the maximum tax deduction for his donation.

Help a member of your community to get back on the road to self-sufficiency. Call Jenn Carr, program coordinator of LICO, at 724-538-5081 or visit our website, www.thelighthousepa.org.

This article was submitted by The Lighthouse Foundation.