 The program started shortly after Hurricane Katrina drove thousands of New Orleans-area people into Baton Rouge. Many who had relied on New Orleans public transportation for their work commute found that the Baton Rouge bus system didn’t meet their needs. This program needs more funding in order to continue. Click here to find out how you can help. That left them with poor options, said Carol Spruell, communications coordinator for Catholic Charities. Some needed to leave children unattended in order to catch a bus, or pay neighbors to provide rides. “We’ve found that transportation is really one of the big barriers for people going to work,” Spruell said. “If people can get a good-paying job and can get to work on time with reliable transportation, that really does initiate some amount of success.” Catholic Charities tried to solve the problem by purchasing inexpensive cars for clients who needed transportation. It didn’t work out. “Basically, Catholic Charities was turning into a mechanic’s shop,” said Kevin Guice, regional marketing manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. “They were breaking down all the time. … They’re calling the case managers saying, ‘My car is broken down on the side of the road.’ The case managers have a thousand things to do and they’re not mechanics.” Guice became aware of the problem because father-in-law Dan Palka worked for Catholic Charities at the time. Guice began working with Steve Webb, chief operations officer with Neighbors Federal Credit Union, and Catholic Charities to come up with a solution. They found one. Enterprise would sell cars it was replacing in its rental fleet, all about 1-2 years old and worth about $10,000. Catholic Charities would put up $2,500 for a down payment, the first three monthly payments and to help with car insurance. The credit union would provide low-interest car loans to people who might not otherwise qualify for them. It has worked: Of the 60 or so program participants, only one has defaulted on the loan, Webb said. “Everybody is paying,” he said. “Everybody understands that they’re being given a great opportunity and they need to uphold their end of this process.” All participants are Catholic Charities clients, who are given financial literacy training. Neighbors also gives basic financial training before approving a loan. Participants are encouraged to open a checking account, use direct deposit and are educated about high-cost financing that they should avoid, Webb said. The program is designed so the five-year loans will cost roughly $250 per month, Webb said. The cars are new and low-mileage enough to have their factory warranties intact, Guice said. “We don’t want to finance them a car that will create them more problems because they can’t afford it,” he said. In Dushime’s case, it’s a 2008 Kia Rondo, which he has been driving since last June. Having the first three car payments covered allowed him to pay off debts. Some clients have improved their finances to the point that they can buy houses, Spruell said “This program is really awesome,” he said. But expensive for Catholic Charities. Seed money from the Baton Rouge Area Foundation got the program started, and grants from the National Credit Union Foundation and Enterprise Foundation got it running. So, the organization is holding a raffle to keep the program going. For information, call Catholic Charities, (225) 336-8770. | 
