Good News Garage takes used cars, repairs them, and gives them to low-income people who have no other transportation. The ministry, based in Burlington, Vermont, grew out of a 15-month Bible study to discover what New England congregations needed and would support.

Wheat Ridge Ministries (wheatridge.org) in Illinois gave the group a grant to pay for a sociological survey, and the results indicated the biggest need among the poor in rural Vermont was affordable transportation.

Former chef and food service manager Hal Colston had been wondering if his idea to start a community-based garage was from the Lord. Then the group discovered the Milwaukee-based Esperanza Unida, which uses donated cars to train welfare dads to become auto mechanics. They knew they were on the right track.

Good News Garage began at Ascension Lutheran Church in 1996 with a start-up grant of $35,000 from Wheat Ridge Ministries. Sponsored by Lutheran Social Services, it now has a new facility in Burlington, a staff of 24, ...