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February 10, 2008
Hal Colston Profiled
in Reader's Digest
and People Magazine
Hal
Colston,
Vermont's own social entrepreneur, founder of two successful
anti-poverty programs, Good News Garage and NeighborKeepers, was profiled in the February '08 issue of
People
Magazine in their "Heroes Among Us" column and the
May '08 issue of Reader's Digest.
Good News Garage
started in July 1996, has been used as a national model for
addressing the core causes of poverty by removing transportation
barriers to employment. Good News Garage, a subsidiary of
Lutheran Social Services, repairs donated cars and provides them
to low-income individuals throughout Vermont, New Hampshire,
Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
The University of
Vermont and HUD completed a study in 2005 that showed that Good
News Garage is an effective tool for ending or reducing an
individual's need for TANF funds "welfare". It also found that
90% of those that received a car felt more hopeful for a better
future for themselves and their children.
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Colston left the Good
News Garage in March 2004 to create NeighborKeepers. This new
non-profit utilizes a national "Circles of Support" strategy to
transition families out of poverty through community support. Each
circle consists of a low-income family that has resolved to get
out of poverty and a team of friends and "allies," volunteers
recruited from the community, who wrap around the family and offer
their support and guidance. According to Colston, "It works
because it breaks the isolation of poverty. The average community
participant has zero to two associational relationships in their
life; allies have eight to ten."
Hal believes his
profile in
People Magazine will help spread the word about
this new anti-poverty approach and the importance of donating a
car to Good News Garage, which has already proven successful.
"Meaningful relationships based on trust and reciprocity is the
foundation for success in family and community life. Our goal is
to "do with" as opposed to "do for" people transitioning out of
poverty. The ultimate goal is to change our community's mindset
about poverty. People just don't wake up and choose to be poor,"
says Colston.
Currently, there are
six families in Chittenden County who are participating in the
program and six families who are expected to enroll soon.
NeighborKeepers' goal is to enroll 25 families, and they are
actively looking for volunteer allies to meet this need. To
volunteer contact Hal Colston at
NeighborKeepers or call NeighborKeeper's office in
Burlington, Vermont
802-846-7292.
Good News Garage's
mission is to create economic opportunity by providing
affordable and reliable transportation options to people in
need. All car donations are tax deductible.
You may donate a
truck, car or van online right now, just click on "Donate a car"
or call Good News Garage toll-free at
1-877-448-3288.
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