2005 Cars 4 Christmas Donating Cars to Disadvantaged people in OMAHA

Dear cd 105.9
 I would like to nominate my mom for a car.This has been a very tough 
year for her.It all started in Dec.05 when someone tried to fix her car 
and broke it worse.Being a single mom with 3 kids and X-mas she couldnt 
afford to fix it. Her brother helped her with a car until he took it 
away in Nov.06 after she took care of him due to an illness.My mom lost 
her job in July and recently got a new one making really good money and 
has insurance.Someone loaned my mom the $950.00 to get her car fixed 
which she did.On Tuesday Dec.5 my mom got her car back and didnt really 
drive it unless taking us kids to school.She had an important meeting at 
her new job on Tursday Dec.7.After getting to work and being there for 
15 minutes her boss interupted the meeting to tell my mom that her car 
was on fire n the parking lot.People at her job tried putting it out 
and the fire department came.her car was burnt bad.My mom contacted the 
insurance people and they totaled out her car.That doesnt really h
 elp her cause what they paid goes to the bank and still didnt pay off 
her car.So now she has no car,owes someone $950. and still owes the 
bank.She only was able to get rental car for 5days.My mom does so much for 
other people and always helps them before herself.This is very hard on 
her even though she tries to hide it i can see it.Ilove my mom very 
much.Can you please help her with a car.

Can you help people who need handicapped vans? I am helping a family (18 of them) (yes, 16 kids, 8 still at home), 2 are handicapped. Their old van is caput. They are wonderful people, very active in the community and always willing to lend a hand to those in need. They do a great job getting by on what is available to them. Frankly, I am amazed. The father is a member of the Knights of Columbus at Our Lady of Lourdes. He had brain surgery in late September. They removed a tumor the size of a crescent roll from the left side of his brain. Thankfully, the tests have confirmed that is was benign. But, with that and the number of kids & 2 handicapped, they struggle. He’s mechanically inclined, so I am confident in his ability to move the lift attached to the current van to a newer one, if a handicapped van is not available. Obviously, it doesn’t have to be a new van, but it does need to be full-size. They're looking for a full-size conversion van, with that many kids a school bus might be more in order, but a full-size van will do. They need to get one with the 2 doors that open out. A sliding door won't work with this lift. They need to try to find one as soon as possible. Let me know if you hear anything. Thanks for the help… I have contacted dealerships and other folks, perhaps you can make this Christmas wish come true. Or, let me know, if you know who I should talk to… Tim

Lane is a 23 month old boy who has had 2 Bone Marrow transplants for 
Leukemia. He has been sent home on Hospice. He lives with his parents & 2 
siblings in the Norfork area. He comes to the University of Nebraska 
Medical Center 3 times a week for continuing treatment. His father can 
not work since he has to bring him & Mom. They had 2 cars & one was 
severly damaged due to hitting a deer & the other one had a pump go out last 
week. they are borrowing a vehiicle to get to each of the visits. Lane 
has 2 brothers Tyler ,10 & Brian ,7 who is ofter cared for by their 
teacher from school. They often sleep @ the teachers house instead of 
their own. Needless to say stress is high. We @ the Oncology Dept & UNMC 
have adopted them as a Christmas family. We just wanted to know if you 
could help too.   Thank-you  ( I hope this is not too late to submit) 
Sincerely, Shelley .

My daughter Rebecca is 19 and at her young age has been through so much. At the age of 16 she was diagnosed with a Spinal and Brain tumor. She has 3 Surgeries over the course of the next year to remove it. She does have some weakness due to these, but she doesnt let it bother her. Last December shortly after finding out she was pregnant, her Fiance was killed in a robbery at his job. Despite her grief she went back to everyday life and gave birth in May to Logan James the name they had picked out together. Logan has problems with his eyes and will need surgery in May. Having a car would change Becca's life in so many ways. First she could get a better paying job outside of our area. She could have some independance despite that she has to live at home. She would be able to schedule Logan's dr's apptments without worrying if she has a ride or not. Most of it could give her back some of the ablity to be a regular kid again.

This is the 2nd Christmas has no car. She went into debt over an old car and it blew a rod. Ella has a serious physical illness (congestive heart failure), has two teenage girls, and her husband has been gone for years. She has been ill almost 3 years and the doctors were just able to diagnose her. To top it all off, her mom passed away 2 weeks ago. Ella is unable to help her daughters with transportation, she can't get to the doctor, pharmacy, or to her dad, who is also ill. A car would definitely change her life. It would allow her to take care of her needs, and travel to her father's house about 10 miles away. Please choose Ella for a gift of a car. She does so much for others, and she struggles and suffers without complaint. Her condition can improve if she has transportation to get where she absolutely needs to go. Please choose Ella. Thank you very much. Charlene

I am submiting this story about Joy. She is a mother who has gone 
through alot in the past few years & months. She is a loving dedicated 
mother who has been trying to get back on her feet for a long time. First 
let me tell you about her family. She has three children, her son 
Donte,whom is twelve is autistic & suffers from a seizure disorder. Being the 
loving mother that she is, felt that she could not provide the special 
needs that her son requires so she placed him with a host family in 
North Bend,NE (which is an hour away from where she lives). It was hard 
for her at first because she felt as if she was abandoning her child by 
placing him there,but finally realized and told herself that it was the 
best thing to do for him. It bothers her on occasions because she is 
not able to visit her son regularly because she has no transportation. 
The Halladay family have been so supportive in understanding the 
circumstances that she is not able to visit him as often as she'd like to. 
 As I have spoken to her about this, tears still fill her eyes when she 
thinks of what she is unable to do,because although she is not able to 
care for him,she knows now that he is being well taken care of by the 
Halladay family,but not being able to see him is hard for her. She has 
been with out transportation for three years now,she had a car which she 
had been working and paid for,she would go see her son twice sometimes 
three times a week, going to pick him up,bringing him to her home here 
in Omaha and taking him back,they spent alot of hours on the 
highway,but to her it was worth it. The car she had began having engine problems 
and she was not able to pay for its repair,so it sat at a shop and was 
vandalized,she was not able to have it towed away so she sold it,but 
did not get hardly anything for it at all. Being without transportation 
has been rough,especially during the winter. I remember her calling me 
when I lived in Colorado,stating she had no one to take her or her
  daughters to the grocery store or even to doctor's appointments. H

                             Sincerely,
                    
                              Gregory W. McDougle

I would like to nominate my husband, Steve for the “Cars for 
Christmas” program. He is a retired veteran of the U. S. Air Force & has 
served his country proud! Recently, he was unemployed for over a year & 
it has had a major impact on our finances. We turned is his car before 
it was repossessed by the bank and after much trying, were left with no 
other option then to declare bankruptcy.  Needless to say, our credit 
has been destroyed.  Currently he is a temporary employee working in 
Elkhorn & is desperately trying to become a permanent employee with the 
company so he can receive benefits. With both of us working, we have to 
car pool to work & this limits his performance at work because he 
can’t commit the extra time needed to be successful. We have been married 
for over 31 years & we have never been through anything like this 
before. Steve is a proud man who has provided the very best for his family & 
country. He has never whined or complained during this time of need & 
 is always optimistic that we will get through this. I truly believe 
that he deserves a car so that he can make every effort to do his very 
best.

THEY NEED A VEHICLE TO GET THEM TO ALL THEIR APPOINTMENTS SEE IN MAY 
JESSE'S WIFE HAD A MASSIVE STOKE AND HE HAD TO QUIT HIS JOB AND STAY HOME 
TO TAKE CARE OF HIS 3 KIDS AND HIS WIFE, WELL THEY HAVE APPOINTMENTS 
3-5 DAYS OF THE WEEK TO GO SEE DOCTORS AND THERE 5 YEAR OLD GOES TO PRE 
SCHOOL SHE NEEDS TO GO EVERYDAY BUT DUE TO A VEHICLE SHE'S LUCKY SHE 
GOES 3 DAYS A WEEK AND SHE NEEDS TO GO EVERYDAY TO SCHOOL AND WHEN THEY DO 
DRIVE A CAR IT'S NEVER BIG ENOUGH FOR 3 CAR SEATS IN THE BACK SO IF 
THEY HAD A CAR OF THERE OWN I AM SURE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO 
APPOINTMENTS  AND GET THERE DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY.

Cicely is an inspiration and a breath of fresh air to all she 
encounters. She currently works full time at Uta Halee. On a daily basis she 
goes above and beyond her job description as a Youth Care Professional. 
Not only is she is role model to the youth she is also a mentor, 
companion, and confidant. Each day she brings a smile to the girls and her 
co-workers face. Many times I have relied on Cicely for her support, 
advice, and humor. Now more then ever Cicely needs a helping hand that she 
always offers. Cicely is a mother of Jeremiah a two year old whom is a 
bundle of joy. Due to unfortunate circumstances Cicely is currently 
without a car and at wits end. Like the survivor she is, Cicely continues to 
take strides within her strife. A major obstacle Cicely is facing is 
transportation issues. Between working full time, having Jeremiah in day 
care, and running errands, Cicely’s schedule is determined by when 
others can be of assistance. Down on luck, without a car, being a newl
 y single mother, and struggling to make ends meet, still has not taken 
a toll on her. Day in and out she deals with the “hand she’s been 
dealt” with a smile on her face and warmth in her heart. At work we 
pride ourselves on being a family. And like any family when times get 
rough we pull together. We have all chipped in and lent a hand, but there 
is only so much we can do. A car would take so much weight off her 
already overloaded shoulders. It would make life just a little more easier 
to a well deserving woman. In my eyes Cicely is Super Woman, but every 
Super Woman needs a mode of transportation! This blessing would be well 
appreciated by all involved. We would love to give Cicely just a touch 
of the joy she gives us. Please make this gift possible!

Dear cars for Christmas cd105.9, I'm writing this as i myself would of been carless, if it wasn't for brad who put a new timing chain in our vehicle. Brad is a 42 year old man who's apartment burned down in sept06 he lost all of his belongings. In October his truck was stolen and has not been recovered unfortunately he had only liability insurance. In November his employer went bankrupt, and his brother merle was diagnosed with cancer who lives in Iowa city, Ia. It has been hard for him to seek employment with no income and vehicle, but he did get temporary job at Omaha steaks for the holiday season. Its also been heartbreaking he has no transportation to visit his brother. Brad has no problem walking but im worried about him walking in the winter as job is ten miles away. brad is a person who will and has helped lots of people,if you were to call him today and say you were stranded he would walk to where you were and help the best he could. If you could find it in your hearts to help it would be greatly appreciated ,he is mechanicly inclined and doesn't need a great vehicle just something with four wheels and running, you'll be helping someone who in return helping others and i think thats what this is all about, thank you, Angela

Omaha, NE Hello my name is Nikki and I am writing to you tell you about a friend of mine whom I work with and who does not have a car. Her name is Erin and is a very kind and vibrant woman. She has three children ages ranging from 12 to 3 years old, and I know she has a hard time getting around with out a car. She does have a boyfriend in her life who has a car but having to rely on him for rides is not very easy. Just going to the grocery store or to her son's basketball games are quite the challenge. Erin was recently in a car accident. She was a passenger in the car and thank God no one was seriously injured, but Erin does not have health insurance and is struggling just to get to the doctor to get her self checked out. Erin works in my office and she is a responsible person who works hard but is having a hard time making ends meet and keeping her head above water so saving for a car is all but impossible. I just know having a car would make so many things easier for her. She would be able to take her children to school, she could go to the store when she needed, she could go to her son's basketball games, and do all the other many things that we take for granted. Thank you for your time and your consideration, even if you do not pick Erin for your Cars for Christmas program I just want you to know that those who are apart of this program really are making miracles come true. Thank you and God bless! Nikki

There comes a time in a persons life where they pray for just a little help from anyone. I'm her. You see I was injured on the job well over 6 months ago. Moneys thigh. Xmas is coming. And the Repo man visited last week. My children are great they keep my spirits up. So when I asked them what they wanted for Xmas. They didn't have big list's they each asked for one thing. You see before I was injured My family would have been the one to donate to a needy cause. Now we are needy cause. Trying to make ends meet with just one salary is tuff. I just know that I'm going to pull through this bump in life. God has given me the courage to see what I truly have. He gave me 5 wonderful kids.

We have 3 teenage daughters and 1 teen age son. I have a limited income and my oldest daughter will be 18 December 5,2006 she recently got out of school and planned on working and going to college however we live in the country and I'm not able to transport her to and from work, school etc. It would be great if she could receive a car for Christmas that will help her be able to start college in January she has already been approved for a pell grant to pay for classes, but the way it looks transportation wise she wont be able to improve her education or even be able to find a job. Transportation is very important when you need to be able to attend things. Amanda is a great person, she is very tall and has scoliosis but she doesn't let that hold her back I hope having a car doesn't either.

Thanks to the house of Mufflers and Brakes Special thanks to the Road Warriors Transport

Mark is a single father of 4 children, 2 girls ages 2 and 3, and 2 boys ages 6 and 11. His oldest son, Marcus, lost his mom to leukemia around Christmas a few years back and the season hasn't been the same for them since. Mark tried to move on, he met someone and they were soon engaged to be married. Together they had three children, Christian, Mary and Anna. Earlier this year she abandoned him and the children, and the family has been struggling every since. The night before Thanksgiving the family's vehicle was broken into and an attempt was made to steal their vehicle, a 1987 dodge 250Ram Van. When the thief found he could not get the van started he trashed it. Now the cost to repair the van is way more than the van is worth, and the insurance coverage on the van was only liability. So now on top of struggling just to make ends meet, the family is without transportation. So now it's a day to day chore for the father, Mark Chaney, to find away for his kids to get to and from school, get food from the store.....etc. They deserve better, and when I heard the advertisement on the radio, I could think of no one more deserving of a vehicle than them. This would not be a vehicle for one person, it would be a vehicle for a whole family of 5. Thank you in advance for all your effort and help.

My 36 year old son Norman is in end stage renal failure and end stage diabetes mellitus. My daughter takes care of him at home. She just recently lost her job and has a son 7 and a daughter 13. We are a family of 5 living in cramped quarters with only one car that isn't in the best of shape. With Norman on dialysis, his medications, his hospitalizations and Dr's appointments, the children going to different schools and my working in Omaha, Laura hasn't had transportation to look for another job. She is trying to manage and Christmas is looking very bleak for her children. She hasn't been able to continue going to college because she has to take care of all our transportation needs with my car. Managing time is hectic and when the children get sick which happens frequently in the Winter, her situation becomes chaotic because of unexpected schedule changes. At this point, she has no money, no job, a temporary home her children and no way to improve her circumstances. Sh e could really stand a bit of Christmas cheer. Thank you for your consideration and God Bless you all. Kathryn

Matthew is a disabled adult male who must live with his mother and handicapped brother because he was stricken with a terminal, debilitating disease called vasculitis about 2 years ago. This disease attacks Matt's organs and has already destroyed both of his kidneys. He must go to dialysis 3 times per week for 4 hours each time in order to stay alive. Matt has been borrowing a car from a friend to get to dialysis because he has to be there at 5am and he has found no other way to get to his appointments. The car that he is borrowing may not be available for much longer as the friend that owns the car has a teenage son that is reaching driving age and is planning on having that car. Matthew is living on Social Security Disability and receives $288 per month, which just barely covers the co-payment on his many medications. Matthew has had to depend on the generosity of others and a new vehicle would change his life by giving him a sense of freedom that he hasn't experience d for a very long time. Please consider Matthew Brophy for a new vehicle. Thank you.

My mother suffers from diabetes, asthma, emphazemia, heart disease, and chronic lung disease. It is also hard for her to walk a lot cause it cause's her to loose oxygen. She is currently under the care of a doctor who has said she is disabled, she has been trying to get disability now for a year or more with no luck. Due to her disability she has lost everything she owns all of her stuff was in storage and with no income she couldn't afford to keep it going so they had an auction and sold it. She even lost her place to live cause she couldn't pay the bills. My mother has worked all of her life up till her disability took over. She has 3 daughters and with kids of their own and their funds are low. I know this car would benefit her cause she would be able to get to her doctor appointments and to the pharmacy to get her medicine's. Now she has a hard time finding someone to give her a ride. Plus she could get my niece to her doc. appointments. I have helped my mother as much as I can and sadly to say she don't have anyone else that will or can help her. I think a car would lift her spirits and give her the fresh start she needs to continue to her life. She has 2 more grandkids on the way and a lot of times she wants to just give up and let her illness's take her, but we need her and our kids need their grandmother. I thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas.. May God Bless You All. Daughter in need of lifting mom's spirits!

We are nominating Wanda, of Omaha for her dream.........A Car . Wanda has gone thru a lot in her life here on earth. She is from Memphis and found herself with no job and no way to pay bills. She was homeless and spent time at a homeless shelter. While there, she did what she could do to survive. One night a couple of people didn't like the way she talked to them so they located some acid and threw the acid in Wanda's face and scarred her for life. I cant even imagine the pain and agony of that event....let alone a lifetime of being reminded of it every time you look in the mirror. But that doesn't get Wanda down.

She made her way to Omaha to be closer to her son and Grandchild. The Salvation Army has helped Wanda by setting her up in one of their apt dwellings. She works fulltime making 6:00 taking busses or asking for rides . She has been actively trying to find a better job and get health insurance as she suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure.

The only downfall is..the jobs she wants and qualifies for are in West Omaha , Where the local area transit busses do not go. She is Trapped, She cant afford a car to get to a job with benefits. That is why we are writing this letter. We want Wanda to have the independence and to get her to and from work safely.

She has a Son and Granddaughter who live in Iowa that she gets to see about once a month. If she had a car she would be able to see them more often and feel like she has her family and the pride of having her own transportation. It just breaks our hearts that she cant spend time with her family especially at Christmas. I hope Wanda's story has touched your hearts as it has ours.

My sister Angel is a mother of 4. One of her children, my only niece 
Miranda, is fighting cancer at the age of 14. She is in the 4th stage of 
Hodgkin's lymphoma. Her 15 yr old boy is Autistic and She is Disabled herself

due to being hit by a car when she was 3. She has no transportation to and from the doctor's 
appointments. She is very much in need of help. There would be nothing 
more I could do than to put this letter out there and hope that someone 
will take the time for her and her family. I do what i can but it's not 
enough!!! Please help this family in need!

Thank you for your time,
Sarah

My name is Libby . Two years ago my boyfriend who lived with me suffered a brain injury resulting in the need for long term rehabilitation and care in a hospital. After getting out of ICU (Intensive Care Unit) he was sent to a rehab hospital in Lincoln, because this is where his mother was living and decided would be most appropriate for placement. My boyfriend's mother is Sharon and it is for her that I wish to apply for transportation. When I met my boyfriend it was my understanding that his mother, Sharon, after losing her own mother, struggled through temporary joblessness and homelessness before finally finding a stable environment for herself in Lincoln. She found herself a full time job, an apartment and even bought a car. Things were going really well and starting to look up for Sharon. A year into our relationship my boyfriend then suffered a brain injury. This obviously came of shock for all his family and me. His mother immediately came from Lincoln and stayed with him in the hospital for a month. Very seldom would she leave his side. She spent many nights sleeping on a mat in the hospital's waiting room area. But doing this resulted in the loss of her job. They were unable to hold the position for her. In this same period the car broke down and she was unable to repair it, having to let it go. It wasn't in the best shape to begin with. Her son however was relocated to Lincoln for rehabilitation. This was helpful for a while as she was able to be nearby. But then the job search became difficult and she was having better luck in Omaha. I told her not to worry as she could ride with me for regular visits which we did. So she relocated to Omaha for a job and started work with a home care service for the elderly. She relied on the bus to get to the various care sites. But then a month into the job, the employers said that she needed to get her own car as she could be more efficient for their purposes than relying on Omaha's MAT system. Then the rehab hospital where my boyfriend was at decided that he was not progressing and that he had to be released meaning we had to find a nursing home site. This was unacceptable and absolutely horrifying. But with some research we located a specialized brain injury rehab hospital in Glenwood, Iowa and they had an opening. In a way it has been better, as it brought my boyfriend closer to the Omaha area, only 20 minutes away. And I moved out there to be near by and continue my support. My boyfriend's father and step mom are able to visit regularly, but his mother Sharon, must still depend on me or other children for rides. Glenwood is not really a convenient place to live without a vehicle, as a lot of the resources and goods are in Council Bluffs or Omaha. Sharon has not desired to live there without her own transportation anyways. I know this has gotten old for Sharon as she would like to be able to visit her son whenever she feels like as well as attend to his care meetings, and medical appointments without me having to rearrange my work schedule around these times. Sharon is his guardian and would like to eventually bring him into a home care situation. And the likelihood of this is great as he is improving! But again Sharon struggles as getting a job that she can get to and from by the bus is not easy as well as maintaining a residence without assistance is pretty much impossible. And once you get any kind of housing assistance there are usually parameters on how much income you can receive from a job without jeopardizing the assistance. Its a vicious thing and I know she feels trapped. And I know if it hadn't been for the great love she carries for her son, she would not be in the predicament that she is in. But she perseveres somehow and I just wish that some great blessing could be given to her to make the situation easier. I know that her son would benefit too just knowing that his mother had more control over her situation. Please consider helping this strong woman. She has endured for so long without, I really feel she could gain a lot more stability back in her life having a vehicle of her own. Sincerely, Libby