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The Immanuel Lutheran Church in Almelund, working with Parker Automotive and the United Way, presented another vehicle to a worthy client of Chisago County Health and Human Services this week. Marty Harding, director for Communities Investing in Families (CIF) noted this is vehicle number 12 awarded through the local anti-poverty outreach effort. CIF is a multi-county cooperative that helps coordinate donors, facilitates paperwork, and gets the vehicles roadworthy.

The 1995 Pontiac Transport van had new tires and a battery installed, and was prepped for cold weather before being presented to a single mother of five children, recently employed in the Cambridge area.

The criteria for selecting car recipients require the vehicles to go to a person with a family, who is employed and selected by county Human Services.

There is just one vehicle remaining in storage to be gifted through the church program and the need for donations is great. Cash donations are also appreciated to defray repairs, license and transfer costs.

Pastor Bergin said the church welcomes donations of any type of vehicle useful for family transportation needs.

Harding explained that this local effort does not sell vehicles and donations do qualify for fair market value tax deduction. She noted tax law changes coming in 2005 are for car programs that sell vehicles to raise money.

Please contact Immanuel Lutheran Church for details about the car program or to talk with a member of the car committee, or contact Harding at 257-9576.

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