Ensuring that transportation is not a barrier to employment or employability

Cars4Work partners with qualified employers and workforce development programs to provide reliable, affordable transportation to individuals whose employment depends on it.

About Cars4Work

Cars4Work is an initiative of three Dayton-area 501(c)3 non-profits: The Collaboratory, The Equity Center, and Impact Garage, which is the operating organization.

Problem Statements

For employers: Manufacturing and logistics employers face persistent workforce challenges driven by transportation barriers:

  • Missed shifts and tardiness due to unreliable transit
  • High turnover among frontline and entry-level workers
  • Limited hiring radius in car-dependent regions
  • Lost productivity and increased training costs

For individuals: The difference between keeping a job and losing one has nothing to do with effort — it has everything to do with access. A lack of reliable transportation often blocks accepting a job, advancement, and long-term financial stability.

What We Do

Cars4Work partners with qualified employers and workforce development programs to identify and assist individuals whose employability/employment status is dependent on having reliable, affordable transportation. The process is intentionally structured and employer-supported, ensuring accountability and long-term success. The result is reduced absenteeism, improved retention, and expansion of the available labor pool.

Long-Term Vision

Cars4Work becomes a standard workforce infrastructure program that provides a bridge between employment, mobility, and economic stability.

Real Stories. Real Impact.

So far, 33 vehicles have been donated, and 23 have already been rehomed, each one helping someone get to work, keep a job, and move forward with confidence.

Lani with her vehicle at Impact Garage

Lani's Story

The Road to Her Promise

Lani has never taken the easy road. She balanced school, part-time jobs, and the emotional weight of building a future largely on her own. College was a promise she made to herself — but there was one obstacle standing in her way: reliable transportation.

Read Lani's full story →
Britney with her vehicle at Impact Garage

Britney's Story

From Survival to Purpose

Britney is rebuilding her life. As a resident of a local organization supporting single moms, she made the courageous decision to pursue a degree in social work. But between parenting, classes, and responsibilities, unreliable transportation threatened to undo her progress.

Read Britney's full story →
Karaha with his vehicle at Impact Garage

Karaha's Story

Time Given Back

For more than a year, Karaha spent hours each day on the bus, traveling to work, to school, and to the hospital to visit his young daughter as she bravely fought cancer. He was exhausted, but he never stopped. His family needed him.

Read Karaha's full story →
Josh with his vehicle at Impact Garage

Josh's Story

Resilience in Motion

Josh went through a difficult season that set him back in ways he never expected. Determined to rebuild, he committed to a structured program, connected with The Equity Center, and secured steady employment. What he still didn't have was reliable transportation.

Read Josh's full story →

Our Collaborators

Cars4Work brings together three organizations committed to workforce development and economic mobility.

Impact Garage

A non-profit organization whose goal is to relieve a financial burden by providing reliable, low-cost cars and low-cost car repairs to individuals working to lift themselves out of poverty. Impact Garage serves as the program operator and is responsible for:

  • Vehicle Sourcing Strategy and Implementation (accept donations, dealer auction purchases, refurbish vehicles)
  • Title transfer, compliance frameworks, and tax donation statements
  • Measurement of car donation counts and rehoming

The Equity Center

Empowers individuals and communities by providing access to resources, education, and support. Through their workforce development programs, The Equity Center:

  • Identifying and supporting clients in need of affordable, reliable transportation to close the employment loop
  • Working with employers to see the value of Cars4Work and become partners in the program
  • Collecting, assembling, and analyzing relevant data from employers

The Collaboratory

A non-profit civic innovation lab. It functions as a catalyst, convenor, and connector to co-create and incubate social enterprises. The Collaboratory is responsible for:

  • Building the Cars4Work brand architecture
  • Network and Resource Development
  • Facilitating the development process