Published Friday, Oct. 9, 1998 Soon, the blue 1988 Ford Crown Victoria will be used to transport a needy worker to his or her job.
Thursday, Mercer County commissioners turned over the keys to the Ford to committee members of the Wheels To Work program. Commissioners agreed to donate up to three cars to the program as it needs them.
After the commissioners' meeting, Wheels To Work picked up a second car donated by Barbara Morrow, president of Church Women United in the Shenango Valley. That car had belonged to Ms. Morrow's late father, Joe Shapeck. Mercer County Housing Authority also has pledged to donate three cars, a 1990 Buick sedan and two 1992 Geo hatchbacks.
Wheels To Work will give cars to people whose only barrier to keeping a job is transportation.
"We have folks going from welfare to work. You need transportation to go to work," said Commissioner Cloyd "Gene" Brenneman. Last month, Brenneman told housing authority officials there was a black market of uninsured drivers ferrying people to work.
Olive Brown from Sharon Regional Health System's Minority Health Advocacy Committee and Nannette Livadas of the housing authority began the effort to procure cars and money to make the donated cars ready for the road. They picked up the support of the Mercer County Family Center, United Way of Mercer County, Mercer County Community Action Agency, Mercer County Assistance Office, League of Women Voters, West Central Job Partnership, Business Institute of Pennsylvania, AWARE, Mercer County Regional Council of Governments and Mercer County Community Transit.
This afternoon the committee will be poring over about 10 applications to select the recipient of the program's first car, said Gary Merchant of the Prince of Peace Center, Farrell, which is administering the program. The first car could be turned over within two weeks.
To be the owner, an applicant with a driver's license must meet income and expense eligibility guidelines, must be able to pay for car insurance, and must have held a job for at least six months.
The committee is planning a kick-off get-together to court people to donate vehicles or mechanic services, or to help with administration.
"Hopefully we can show the private sector we are serious about what we are doing," housing authority Executive Director L. DeWitt Boosel said last month.
Herald Staff Writer Joe Pinchot contributed to this story.
