Field of Work: Improving the financial stability and health and well-being of vulnerable populations.

Problem Synopsis: For many low-income individuals, especially in rural areas, having a reliable car determines whether they can train for a job, take a child to a doctor, and get to work. However, many such individuals have poor credit scores. That means they must purchase unreliable cars at exorbitant interest rates, reinforcing poverty and its attendant poor health.

Synopsis of the Work: To break this cycle—and to become eligible to buy a car—clients of More Than Wheels attend classes that help them create budgets, improve their financial decision-making, raise their credit rating, and get out of debt. The classes also cover nutrition, health literacy, and smarter food purchasing. Once clients’ finances are stable and they show enough income to support a car payment, More Than Wheels helps them secure low-interest loans and purchase reliable, fuel-efficient cars.