Please, Let My Car Start…

“Hello my name is Melissa. I’m a single mom and have a 7-year-old daughter. I wanted to thank you so much for getting my car maintenance request approved. I sincerely appreciate everything you and your supervisor did for me and my daughter. Without these generous donations, I’m not sure how much longer I could have gone with my car running the way it is.

“I’m the closing manager at my job, so many nights I walk out of the store late.

“Many nights I was praying, ‘Please let my car start so I can pick up my daughter and make it back home safe.’ My daughter asked, ‘Mommy is the car gonna start today?’ I would say, ‘I don’t know baby, we gonna see once I put my key in’ lol.

“This is like ‘Christmas in February’ for us. I almost started crying on the phone with Ms. Ro from Coordinated Services Planning.

“Once again, I’m saying thank you for all that you guys do at Britepaths. Thank you to all the people who can afford to make donations. It’s Greatly Appreciated. I could not have done it without you guys. Thanks so much again.”

Reliable Rides to the Rescue

We are so glad that Britepaths was able to help Melissa and her daughter have safe, reliable transportation again! A special thanks to J.J. Auto Repair in Alexandria for offering a discount to make the repairs more affordable. And a shout out to social worker Ro Pauline and her colleagues at Fairfax County’s Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) who help connect us with deserving families who can use our help.

Britepaths’ “Reliable Rides” is a special segment of our Financial Assistance Program that helps fund major car repairs for Fairfax County residents in crisis so they can maintain their cars safely and continue to get to work to support their families. It is the only car repair assistance program in Fairfax County, and one of few in Northern Virginia.

Referrals are made to Britepaths by social workers at CSP based on demonstrated need and the adherence to specified criteria, and we grant assistance as funds are available. Upon accepting a referral, Britepaths negotiates the repair with a partner car repair service or the service the client has retained. Britepaths pays a portion of the bill (typically up to $400) directly to the service provider with the understanding that the client will also help pay.

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Families like Melissa’s are working hard, but struggling to make ends meet in our expensive area, and facing even greater challenges during the pandemic. Britepaths is able to help local families like hers with car repairs and to catch up on rent and utility bills so they can stay in their homes thanks to caring community members like you, and our generous funders and auto repair partners listed below. If you would like to help families like Melissa’s, Click Here to Donate (type Financial Assistance or Reliable Rides in the Donor Comments).

Britepaths Financial Assistance Program and Reliable Rides are made possible by:

These generous local businesses provide discounts and in-kind services to Britepaths and our Reliable Rides clients to help get them back to work! Thank You!

  • The Brake Squad of Fairfax
  • Carquest Auto Parts of Springfield
  • CRV Auto Repair
  • J. Auto Services Inc.
  • J.J. Auto Repair
  • Mclean Road Services
  • Philmark Service Center
woman with broken down car