The Carma Project in Kelowna handed the keys over for two donated and repaired vehicles to two single moms on Monday.
Lena Jung and her 15-month-old daughter Penelope were the recipients of a 1996 Chevrolet Lumina, while Kalista Copes and her two-year-old son Davian will be able to drive in a 1999 Toyota Rav 4.
The Carma Project, founded locally by Integra Tire Kelowna owners Bruce Stranaghan and his wife Penny, have now donated nine vehicles to people in need along with repairing another four cars.
The Stranaghans started the project in 2010, giving away the first vehicle in 2011.
The program is supported by a number of local businesses, the donors of the cars and the mechanics at Integra who fix up the vehicles.
“We are extremely grateful for the media’s support in our project and hope there is continued interest to publicize the project,” said Penny Stranaghan.
“We receive many applications, so the need to supply transportation to those in need is great.”
The latest to beneficiaries of the Carma Project are both single moms and members of the non-profit Mamas for Mamas organization in Kelowna.
Mamas for Mamas connects mothers to mothers on their home communities to provide them with things they need at no cost through donating, trading and distributing items from local partners when possible. The program was founded in Kelowna last year as an attempt to break the cycle of poverty for mothers, and now claims membership of 5,500 members in the Okanagan and spans 15 chapters across three provinces.
The day for the recipients started at 10:30 a.m. Monday morning by being treated wit a makeover, with their hair styled by Darcie Jillian at Antidote Hair and makeup done by makeup artist Jenny McKinney. The two moms were then drive by Okanagan Limousine to the Integra Tire location at Dilworth and Enterprise where their Carma vehicles were awaiting them.
The trunk of each vehicle also included donations from various Carma Project supporters—food basket from Choices Food Markets, a coffee goodie basket from Cherry Hill Coffee, gas certificates from Century 21 realtor Jason Neumann.
The presentation was also captured on video by John Thiessen with Engaged Films.
The two vehicles were also give a wash and detailing by Bubbles Car Wash. The other sponsor supporter of the project is Bluebird Business Consulting (Frithjof Petscheleit).
