Our Program

The Need

Imagine your life without a car. Imagine, starting tomorrow, you had to find another way to get to work ...

  • How long would it take to ride a bus, or several, to and from work?
  • What if public transportation wasn't an option? Could your spouse, friend or family member provide transportation every day?
  • How would you do your weekly grocery shopping?
  • How would you get your children to and from day care?
  • If your child was in an accident, could you get him or her to the doctor without a car?

The Solution

Ways to Work is the solution for many low-to-moderate income families who are credit-challenged and have difficulties obtaining an affordable auto loan. Potential borrowers can access a loan up to $8,000 at an 8% interest rate.

Through a network of 44 sites in 19 states, Ways to Work provides nearly 6,000 families annually with focused financial education and nearly 2,000 families with low-interest loans totaling more than $6 million.

The Outcomes

To date, Ways to Work has made affordable loans to 34,500 families totaling $71 million:

  • 94% of borrowers reported that their Ways to Work car helped them improve their employment circumstances.
  • Nearly half of employed participants have received a promotion or pay increase (35% increased by more than 10%) since receiving the Ways to Work loan at a time when wages fell nationally by 4.9%.
  • About half of all borrowers attribute a reduction in lateness and missed days of work to the car they obtained through the Ways to Work program.
  • 82% of participants sustain themselves without Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) despite receiving it before their Ways to Work loan.
  • According to most participants (90%), counseling and support from the Ways to Work program has helped them understand and improve their financial situation.
  • Borrowers experienced mean credit score increases even during the recent recession of up to 44.6 points.
  • Nearly all borrowers indicated that the car they received through Ways to Work helps to provide better care for their children and do more things for or with them.
  • The total annual projected return on investment for all Ways to Work stakeholders is 250%....$2.50 for every $1 invested in the program.