Vehicles for Change

Since 1999, The Abell Foundation has supported Vehicles for Change (VFC). VFC helps Baltimore City residents become car owners, build credit, and move toward self-sufficiency.  Each year, VFC has provided approximately 50 cars to Baltimore City families, most of which are headed by single mothers.

Results from a 2003 survey of 155 VFC car owners (including recipients of cars from other Maryland counties) indicates that the program works:

• 68 percent have obtained better jobs, with an average annual salary increase of $4,853;
• 83 percent report that their lives have improved;
• All report that they now take their children to after-school activities and athletic programs;
• 89 percent feel that the car is reliable, with the average cost-per-repair after six months being $199; and
• 79 percent have had the oil changed, indicating that they are making efforts to keep their cars in good condition.