Megan McAfee of Harmony was working six days a week and relying on her parents to drive her to and from work. The single mother of a 2-year-old was frustrated that she had to decline promotions for lack of reliable transportation. But since September, when she was able to buy a car at a deeply reduced price from Community Auto, she's been promoted three times and her son is able to attend a Gymboree class, a physical activity program for children.

"I wouldn't be able to do any of that if I didn't have a car," Ms. Mc-Afee said. As she knows, even the best-paying job won't put food on the table if you can't get to it.

Many families on shoestring budgets can't afford car payments and are at the mercy of public transportation schedules, or they don't have access to mass transit at all. Lack of transportation eliminates or narrows job possibilities, limits promotions and creates a downward spiral into unemployment and poverty.

The recent merger of two nonprofits, North Hills Community Outreach and Community Auto, will help many families reverse that spiral.

For 23 years, North Hills Community Outreach, based in Hampton with a satellite office in Millvale, has provided families in economic crisis with utility assistance, emergency financial help, access to food pantries and economic and job counseling. Community Auto was founded in 2003 as a volunteer-run program to accept donated vehicles, have them repaired and sell them at a reasonable price to low-income workers. The program relies on vehicle donations from the public.

The two formed a partnership in 2005, with Community Outreach providing back office functions so Community Auto could build its organization. But with two boards and two sets of books, costs were duplicated without a corresponding increase in productivity. With the official merger Jan. 31, Community Auto became a program of North Hills Community Outreach and no longer has a separate nonprofit status. The organizations received $10,000 from the Forbes Fund to effect the merger.

"As we work with people who are struggling financially, lack of affordable, reliable transportation is a common theme," said Fay Morgan, executive director of North Hills Community Outreach. "In a survey with food pantry clients, 34 percent said lack of a vehicle was a complicating factor in them being able to support themselves.

"A good job that you are qualified for might not be on the bus line. If you need to get the kids to child care, that might not be on the bus line," Ms. Morgan said. "Sometimes a personal vehicle is just necessary."

In 2009, the organizations partnered to get cars to 40 low-income families. So far this year, North Hills Community Outreach's Community Auto Program, as it is now called, has provided eight vehicles. But requests have been pouring in, especially during the past nine months, Ms. Morgan said, and the program always has a waiting list.

"We have at least 20 waiting right now. We get calls every day. It all depends on the [vehicle] donations we get," she said.

Community Outreach is trying to build its volunteer corps to help answer phones, explain the program and send out applications, Ms. Morgan added.

Having a car makes a huge difference for families in crisis, she said. "One woman was a counter worker at a fast-food restaurant. Because she got a car, she was promoted to assistant manager because she could [work extended hours]."

Clients pay an average of about $2,500 for a car from Community Outreach, Ms. Morgan said. "It would be extremely difficult to buy a reliable vehicle for that price on the open market. We stand behind the vehicle." Each car comes with a AAA membership, valid Pennsylvania inspection sticker, three-month/3,500-mile warranty, full tank of gas and new car seats for children younger than 8. Community Outreach advises clients about places to get reliable repairs at affordable prices.

Community Outreach pays on average $900 to get a car ready to sell to a client.

Rick McClure, former board president of Community Auto and one of three members moving onto the Community Outreach board, became involved when he donated a car three years ago. He said that many donors are surprised by the unique tax benefit they can receive by donating their cars to the organization.

"If you give a car to Community Auto, and they fix it and sell it to a needy person, you still get to deduct the blue book value," he said, explaining that other nonprofits that accept cars generally sell them at auction, and donors can deduct only the selling price.

He said the program now has a car lot on Perry Highway in Pine, where clients can shop.

The program has accepted everything from a recreational vehicle to a car that hadn't been driven for so long it had mice living in it. "We take any kind of vehicle. The most suitable are repaired at independent repair shops. The others are sold at auction," Ms. Morgan said.

To donate a car to Community Outreach, donors must provide the title. "We will pick up the vehicle or have it towed, or the donor can drive it in," Ms. Morgan said. "We will explain tax deduction."

"People like the idea of donating to this program," Mr. McClure said. "They know the car is going to a needy family, that they're helping Pittsburgh neighbors with a donation right here in town."

For more information on the North Hills Community Outreach Community Auto program or to donate a vehicle, call 412-487-6316.

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