Supporting Arizona Veterans-One Vehicle at a Time

November is National Veterans and Military Families Month with a multitude of activities held across the country to honor veterans. This past weekend in the Phoenix area there were many worthwhile options: Swing Time 1940’s benefit at Ross Aviation Hangar, parades, musical tributes and ceremonies including the breathtaking solar eclipse at 11:11am at the Anthem Veterans Memorial. Additional celebrations will continue throughout the month, but I am eager to shine a light on projects that you may not know about. While these may be unfamiliar they are worthy examples of how individuals like you can make a difference in the life of a veteran.

Most people remember to thank veterans for their service. But have you ever thought about doing more than just saying thank you? During November most media outlets feature inspiring stories highlighting organizations and individuals who are helping veterans rebuild their post military lives. But have you wondered how you might also get involved in one of these programs? Here is an option.

There are several groups in Arizona that have joined forces to transform a veteran’s life through their car donation program. Most of us are fortunate to have both a good job and reliable transportation. We depend on that for work and our family obligations, but could you image how you would manage without a car? This is a painful reality for many veterans. Health issues, financial setbacks, and drug use to cope with the traumatic experiences on the battlefield often interfere with their civilian adjustment. Sadly, these issues may lead to a spiraling set of losses including jobs, housing, relationships, health, and financial stability.

Most of us take for granted the important role reliable transportation plays in our life. We may grumble when we face an unexpected and expensive repair, but even if our budgets are tight, we manage to find the funds to keep our cars running. For the veterans who have fallen on hard times, repairing an old or unreliable vehicle may be impossible. Without this car or accessible public transportation, the veteran cannot maintain a normal life. Even the simplest tasks like seeking employment, buying groceries and keeping medical appointments become a challenge.

Many veterans living in the Phoenix area understand this reality first hand as they struggle to get back on their feet after a series of hard knocks. One of their major barriers is this lack of a car. But Daisy Mountain Veterans, DMV a local non-profit, 501(c) 3 organization comprised of former service members, active duty military, families of above, or anyone whose interest is the well-being of Veterans and their families, began to address this transportation challenge five years ago. They learned about Keys to Progress, a veteran vehicle giveaway project through Progressive Insurance and partnered with them. Started in 2013, the Progressive project has now given away 500 vehicles to deserving veterans and veteran organizations. Thanks to this exceptional program the first of four vehicles awarded through the Daisy Mountain program came through Keys to Progress.

Starting in 2015, other benefactors joined the DMV car donation project. First, it was a veteran owned car repair business and then it was a local RV dealership, a Little Dealer, Little Prices. Eventually through referrals and articles in the local papers, individuals also came forth to donate their vehicle. Each of these donated cars was thoroughly inspected and repaired as needed to meet the group’s safety standards. They were all low mileage vehicles that promised many years of safe and reliable transportation.

According to Mary Ann Derryberry, the DMV contact for this project, the criteria for receiving a vehicle is simple. “The person needs to be a veteran with an honorable discharge and the financial ability to maintain the car.” But one of the challenges has been identifying the deserving veterans and most of the referrals have come through local homeless women’s shelter, St Vincent de Paul and area food banks. To date there have been twelve recipients including five women and seven men ranging in ages from 40 to 81. In each instance, the donated car has provided stability and more life options to the veteran and their family.

For me, this is also a personal story as I recently donated my car. In the spring, I had read an article about the Daisy Mountain program and wanted to get involved. I had a 1995 Saturn with only 38,000 miles but I didn’t want to use it as a trade-in for a new vehicle. It had been my mother’s car and was still in top condition. Thinking about giving it away was hard as it held so many memories of our special times together, especially our shopping adventures. But I knew that my mother who lived to be almost 100 would approve of my decision. So would my father a World War II veteran who had been the commander of his VFW post in our hometown. They both had been deeply involved in their community and veteran activities.

On August 25, 2017, with the Anthem Veteran Memorial as a backdrop, we presented the keys to a very deserving Marine Veteran. As I made a few brief remarks and choked back my tears, I knew that the spirit and dependability of my mother’s car would serve Gabriel and his family well. I could not think of a better way to say, “Gabriel, thank you for your service.”

Learn more about Daisy Mountain Veterans and Progressive Insurance Keys to Progress Program but more importantly get involved though https://www.daisymtnvets.org/ or https://www.progressive.com/socialresponsibility/keys-to-progress.html.