Kerr Drug Donates Vehicles to Wheels4Hope

Kerr Cares for Kids, the charitable foundation of Kerr Drug, is reaching out to the community by donating used company vehicles that are in good condition to Wheels4Hope. The non-profit agency recycles the cars and places the vehicles with low-wage earning families in the community to provide affordable transportation.

On November 10, Kerr Cares for Kids, at the Kerr Drug on Buck Jones Road in Raleigh, donated a car to Wheels4Hope, marking the third vehicle donated by Kerr Drug this year. In the spring, two Dodge Caravans vans that had high mileage but were well maintained and in good condition were donated. All 3 vehicles received minor repairs through a $7500 grant from Kerr Drug and have been given to families.

“Without reliable, affordable transportation, families will struggle to find work, stay employed, go to school and care for their children,” said Tony Civello, CEO of Kerr Drug. “All of those factors affect a family’s health and as a community pharmacy, Kerr Drug wants to do whatever it can to improve the health of the people in our community.”

Wheels4Hope identifies families in need by referrals through partnerships with 15 organizations including Habitat for Humanity, StepUp Ministry, Raleigh Rescue Mission, and the Red Cross. Volunteer mechanics repair the vehicles. Donors receive a tax deduction for the vehicle. Recipients are required to pay $500 for the car and are responsible for title and transfer fees. Each vehicle comes with a 6-month warranty.

“Kerr Cares for Kids’ donations are a sign of its belief in the concept of community pharmacy because the three vehicles have been so important to the families in the community,” says John Bush, Wheels4Hope Executive Director. “I hope more companies will follow their lead because Wheels4Hope is truly a win-win program for everyone involved: a vehicle gets recycled back into the community in a new life, a family gets affordable transportation, and the donor gets a tax deduction.”

Kerr Drug’s Director of Customer Relations and Administration Phyllis Patterson, who serves as Executive Director of the foundation, presented the keys to the vehicle to Bush and Wheels4Hope board chair Mike DeSorbo, who then turned the keys over to Bobby Atkinson and his family, who are buying the car. Several Wheels4Hope volunteers who served the vehicle were also on hand as were representatives of StepUP ministry, who referred the Atkinson family to the program.

For more information about the program, click here.