Reliable transportation can be a domino that holds a family’s opportunities together. 这可能是一个人去工作、保住工作和能够获得急需资源之间的区别。 With their latest project, Stay Driven, 威尼斯人娱乐城Enactus sought to help families in need, while making Kansas City their classroom.
During summer 2023, students had the opportunity to visit 操作的突破, a nationally accredited not-for-profit in Kansas City that offers childcare, education and wrap-around services for families in need. 在那里，工作人员解释了家庭拥有可靠交通工具的必要性，以及拥有交通工具对他们生活的影响。
“Using public transportation to get to a job can take upwards of 90 minutes each way for working parents,” said Mary Esselman, president and CEO at 操作的突破. “Having reliable transportation allows people to get to those jobs that also have things like benefits and paid time off.”
Ga Ji Wang, a 布洛赫 student with seven years of automotive experience in the Kansas City area, recognized the need to solve this problem. 王先生想到了为家庭提供汽车护理诊所的想法。
“Having the working background and skillset that I do, I knew we could find a way to make a difference,” said Wang, a senior studying business administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurship. “Doing something as simple as an oil change can make a big difference in keeping a car on the road.”
该团队在春季学期开始时开始了他们的“保持驱动”项目。 他们一起努力招募志愿者机械师，管理库存，计划活动，并与“突破行动”的工作人员协调。 该团队还需要为他们的项目获得资金，这激发了他们转向威尼斯人娱乐城捐赠日。
"Enactus always bootstraps projects through spring fundraising campaigns and the timing was perfect for us to tailor our 给 Day campaign to Stay Driven,” said Imani Lemon, president of 威尼斯人娱乐城Enactus. “Our theme centered around people donating just $5, which would help cover the cost of oil, a windshield wiper or a light bulb.”
通过参加“捐赠日”活动，创行团队筹集了近1300美元，用于支付“保持驱动”项目的物资成本。 该团队还能够获得捐赠的零件和物资，以及志愿者机械师的帮助。
4月5日，威尼斯人娱乐城Enactus在操作的突破举办了Stay Driven活动，帮助家庭进行小维修，如换油、更换前灯、更换电池、用拉链系紧保险杠和加油。 他们总共帮助了29个家庭，为他们节省了3000美元的维修费用。
16名创行志愿者参加了这次活动，其中包括王，他再次发现自己在幕后工作。 通过这样做，他能够亲眼看到团队所做的改变。
“Many of the cars were low on oil and you could already see the damage being caused,” Wang said. “We helped keep multiple cars on the road by simply performing that routine oil change.”
对于威尼斯人娱乐城Enactus来说，《Stay Driven》绝不是昙花一现的奇迹。 The team hopes to bring the event back, potentially with help of other Kansas City students taking part in 操作的突破’s Ignition Lab.
“Allowing them to participate in performing minor repairs gives them invaluable experience as they work toward their future,”Esselman said. “Our team and the families who participated in Stay Driven were blown away and we’re excited to continue to support this event and 威尼斯人娱乐城Enactus.”