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We put people on the road to a better life

Our mission is to provide safe, reliable, affordable vehicles to people who need them. Qualified recipients are referred to us by our Partner Agencies. The vehicles are donated by area residents, and restored to sound mechanical condition by our Sponsors. The typical value of the vehicles we profice is $3,000-$8,000. Recipients pay $500 for their vehicle and are responsible for insurance, title and transfer fees. Wheels4Hope stands behind each program car with a 6-month warranty.

To support this mission, we also sell low-cost cars to the general public. We take cash donations to fund the purchase of any parts our program cars may require, to pay for and maintain our facilities, and to pay staff salaries.

 

We started with a simple inspiration

Wheels4Hope began at West Raleigh Presbyterian Church in 2000. John Weistart (a law professor) and Chris Simes (an engineer and “car guy”) saw that a good car can be a life-changing blessing for a struggling family. To get and keep a job, meet family obligations, or pursue an education, a car is a necessity.

Most of what we take for granted as normal family life requires a car. It is only when our car goes into the shop that we taste the sense of isolation and limitation that some of our neighbors face every day.

Chris Simes, co-founder, Wheels4Hope

In his legal studies, John Weistart found that economically challenged individuals face very limited options when they go to purchase a car. Sometimes, they are charged inflated prices. Lacking the funds to purchase a vehicle with cash, they can be forced into high-interest loans.

In the fall of 1999, Weistart and Simes expressed their concerns to their congregation at West Raleigh Presbyterian. Working through one of the church’s mission groups, they opened an all-volunteer garage to address low-income people’s need for affordable, reliable transportation.

On May 22, 2000, the group officially filed the papers to form a non-profit organization. Today, a fully qualified  501(c)(3) charity, we are known throughout the Triangle, Triad and Western North Carolina as Wheels4Hope.

How We Work

Most of our income is generated by the sale of donated vehicles. Most of these vehicles we receive are repaired and sold as program cars. Some are sold to the general public. Vehicles that are beyond our geographic reach or ability to repair are sold, and 100% of the proceeds go to support the work of Wheels4Hope.

Additionally, significant support comes from volunteer mechanics and Partner Garages. These sponsors provide the labor to repair vehicles that have been donated to us. Charitable gifts from individuals, congregations, corporations and foundations allow us to invest in opportunities to expand and strengthen the impact of our mission.

Thanks to the generosity of local citizens, corporations, congregations, garages, and partner agencies, we have provided vehicles to thousands of our neighbors in North Carolina. We are grateful for the blessings we have been given, and for the opportunity to bless others in our community.

General FAQs

Yes, we sell vehicles that we receive as donations but aren’t suitable as program cars. To view cars we have for sale visit our showroom.

We are not in a position to provide financing for our public sale vehicles. We accept cashier’s checks, money orders, or debit/credit cards – no personal checks.

All used cars are sold As Is.

Wheels4Hope has an application process for all interested partner agencies. Contact your local hub to request information on partnership. Please be advised that there are times we are unable to add new partners due to the limited number of vehicles we have to work with.