A safe and reliable car is essential to the success of most working families. It helps them meet the everyday tasks of family life that are out of reach for families without a car. Unfortunately, buying, financing, insuring, and maintaining a reliable car is not an option for some families. Providing an underprivileged family with a vehicle is an act of kindness that can be life-changing for a young mom with children. United Way of Greater Fort Dodge’s Wheels for Work program is designed to meet that need.

Skyler Pinkerton, of Fort Dodge, is the most recent recipient of this program when she was recently presented with a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo at Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota. The vehicle was donated to the Wheels for Work program by an individual who wanted to help people in his community. There were many applications that were reviewed and evaluated by United Way before Pinkerton was picked as the recipient.

She is a single parent with two children ages 4 and 1. She has been walking across town to get to work and asking for rides to get her children to daycare and appointments.

Pinkerton is enrolling at Iowa Central Community College with the goal of expanding her education, which will open new doors for employment and other growth opportunities.

The need for family vehicles is high and the Wheels to Work program has a long waiting list. For anyone who has a vehicle they would consider donating to the Wheels for Work program, United Way in partnership with Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota makes the process very easy. They can just go to Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota and visit with Matt Johnson about donating the vehicle to our Wheels for Work program.

Donors should:

∫ Bring the title to the vehicle with them to Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota.

∫ Upon the donation of the vehicle, they will need to sign the title and a bill of sale. Once the transfer of title happens, a letter acknowledging the donation will be provided by the United Way of Greater Fort Dodge. Donors will also receive a receipt documenting the charitable donation. This receipt will provide the documentation needed for tax deduction purposes.

For more information on the United Way Wheels for Work program and how to donate a vehicle to support of a family in need, please contact United Way of Greater Fort Dodge at 515-573- 3170 or stop by the office at 24 N. Ninth St., Suite B.