August brought a special anniversary for Good News Mountaineer Garage. The statewide nonprofit organization, which accepts donated vehicles, makes any necessary repairs to those vehicles, and then gives them out to participants in West Virginia DHHR’s WV Works program, is marking the first full year in its renovated, Charleston facility.
Through a generous donor, the West Virginia organization was able to purchase and renovate space on Charleston’s West Side, allowing garage and office facilities to be located under one roof. “This has been an exciting year, full of possibilities,” said executive director, Asley Orr. “Having our main operations located in one facility has allowed us to increase efficiency, which, in the end, means we can do an even better job of serving West Virginia families through our mission of providing reliable, safe transportation,” Orr explained.
Good News Mountaineer Garage also has facilities located near Morgantown and Martinsburg, with Charleston serving as the main headquarters. Since its inception in 2001, Good News Mountaineer Garage has given out over 2,500 vehicles to West Virginian’s pursuing employment or job training. According to Sheila Timmons, operations manager, “By donating a vehicle to Good News Mountaineer Garage, a donor not only keeps that car on the road, helping another family, but they also gets the best tax deduction, if they itemize on their federal tax return. It truly is one of those win-win scenarios. And, with our new space, we have more room that we hope to fill with donated vehicles to keep the ‘good news’ going.”
