The two-car version: Why Trudy Donated a Second Vehicle to New Heights

Trudy didn’t just donate a car. She donated belief in building our community together. Twice.

For her, giving away a vehicle wasn’t about offloading something she no longer needed–it was about fueling change, quite literally. Trudy’s double contribution to New Heights Auto speaks to her deep trust in the ministry and its transformative power for families who need a reliable ride to move forward in life.

It all started with a nudge. “Dave Ramsey got me thinking about it,” Trudy says. “He had a segment about helping others, and someone called in to say that receiving a car changed their life. You can’t work if you can’t get there.” That seed of inspiration took root when she heard about New Heights Auto Ministry through a fellow member at First Church. The connection felt right, and she knew exactly where her old vehicle needed to go. 

So, when it came time to part with a second car, there wasn’t a second guess. “You’re just passing it on,” Trudy says with quiet conviction. “Sharing God’s blessings. I could have sold it, sure, but the money wouldn’t have changed my life. The car, though? That could change someone else’s.”

But Trudy’s generosity doesn’t stop with the transfer of an automobile. She’s a believer in the ministry’s full-circle model: providing recipients not just with a set of keys but also with a reliable place to keep the vehicle on the road. “Knowing the person who gets the car has access to maintenance, it matters,” she says. “It supports the ministry’s mission even further.”

Her commitment is grounded in faith and community. “If God’s been good to you, you need to pass it on,” she says. And pass it on, she does, practically and spiritually! She still spots her first donated car driving through town, a quiet reminder of how small actions can lead to big ripples.

What would she say to anyone mulling over their own car donation? Trudy doesn’t hesitate. “Skip the hassle of selling it,” she pointed out. “And knowing that your car is going to someone who truly needs it—well, that’s a feeling you can’t put a price on.”

Trudy’s story isn’t just about giving cars–it’s about giving hope. It’s proof that when you believe in a mission, your actions can drive change in ways that outlast the odometer.