Business
My guest today, Cathy Heying, founded The Lift Garage an affordable, non-profit auto repair service for people of limited means. It's an innovative idea that meets a pressing need. Working with people experiencing homelessness, Cathy repeatedly saw how devastating the prohibitive cost of commercial car repair could be. In a domino effect, people who couldn’t afford to get their cars fixed couldn’t get to work and so lost their jobs. Without jobs, they lacked the money to pay for housing and ended up in shelter or on the streets. It was also evident that many people who could not afford the cost of commercial car repair, felt that they equally could not afford to stop driving some very dangerous vehicles. Too often driving cars without brakes or living in their car without heat. Cathy went back to school to earn a degree in auto technology. In April 2013, with board members, donors, and volunteers to back her, The Lift Garage opened for one day a week with one repair bay and one volunteer mechanic. Since opening their doors, support from the community has made it possible to greatly expand the services they provide. In 2018 they moved to their current location and now have 5 repair bays and employ 5 full-time auto technicians. The Lift Garage is a 501c3 nonprofit which aims to move people out of poverty and homelessness by providing low-cost car repair, free pre-purchase car inspections, and honest advice that supports their community on the road to more secure lives. I am excited to introduce you to Cathy and her inspiring story of helping others. Connect with Cathy at: https://www.theliftgarage.org/