Mission Statement, History, and Thoughts of Garage Knights
Our Mission Statement
Garage Knights is a public not for profit organization focused on mentoring area youth. Garage Knights youth will learn life skills, by reconditioning used vehicles for donation to individuals or families in need. This will facilitate teamwork, leadership, character development, and a sense of civic responsibility for our youth members.
Garage Knights accomplishes this mission primarily by refurbishing donated or purchased vehicles. Support is garnered through corporate, public, and private contributions, as well as special projects, such as designing, building, and selling customized vehicles.
Our Organization and History
Garage Knights is a public not for profit organization focused on mentoring area youth. With the initial conception of Garage Knights in September 1989 Garage Knights provided facilities, tools and guidance to students from the Ohio State University for the repair and maintenance of their vehicles. In the Autumn of 2001, Garage Knights continued to expand its umbrella. The concept grew to include other individuals in need with the assistance of adults in their community; eventually recruiting the help of high school aged students fostering civic leadership skills and mentoring. We do this in a safe and secure environment while teaching them how to recondition used vehicles. It is our goal to provide our students with experience working as part of a team, as well as in leadership roles, and also to provide them with hands on mechanical skills. Ultimately, we would like our students to develop a sense of civic responsibility through donating the vehicles that they have worked on to individuals or families in need. We currently have 27 active youth meeting twice a week with an additional 50 youth from the central Ohio area interested in this program. We have already received 8 donated vehicles this year. Our immediate plan is to finish work on the 6 vehicles, donating 3 of them to individuals or families in need and selling 3 to fund future projects. We are also actively pursuing additional vehicles. While working with youth on these vehicles, we are building relationships with them and helping to build their leadership skills, character, and sense of civic responsibility.
All vehicles will go through a general inspection, primarily to verify history and to diagnose engine fault codes or other issues it might have. After the general inspection, all vehicles will be subject to an engine compartment inspection of fluid levels and leaks, battery condition, and linkages. Vehicles will also be subject to an electrical system inspection, and a drivetrain inspection. After all work has been completed, the vehicles will undergo a final post-road test and then will be ASE certified.
The participants will be organized into small teams (of 2-3 individuals) each with a Team Leader. Each team will be responsible for the individual vehicle inspections (4 inspections to make 4 teams), and they work within that category. The Team Leader will be responsible for the work within his/her category (i.e., scheduling the inspections and work time, troubleshooting, and final inspection/quality control). In addition, a Project Leader will be assigned to each vehicle. The Project Leader will be responsible for coordinating the team leaders, and then all of the work that is to be done on the vehicle. The Project Leader will also be responsible for the final inspection and for coordinating the ASE certification. Perhaps most importantly, the project leader will be intimately involved in selecting the individuals to receive the donated vehicle and for coordinating the final physical transfer of the vehicle from Garage Knights to the new recipient.
All of the youth in this program will begin as a team member in a specific inspection category. They will be trained to inspect and to perform the work within their category. After they have been trained, they will have the opportunity (upon approval of the Advisory Board) to become a Team Leader. After being Team Leader, they will rotate to the next category where they will again be trained and have the opportunity to be team leader. After an individual has been Team Leader in each category they will have the opportunity to become a Project Leader. This is meant to be the “graduation” from the program.
How You Can Help
Garage Knights believe that we have a unique opportunity to build bridges to area youth, but we are in need of garage space, tools, car parts and disposables to really make this program a success. At this time, we are limited in our enrollment to 10 youth due to a lack of garage space, currently one bay. But, we have 50 additional kids interested in joining us, and many people interested in donating vehicles as well as their time to us. We are currently raising funding so we can rent garage space, purchase car parts and disposables in the coming year. We believe that securing some of these expenditures will place us on a trajectory to provide reliable transportation for individuals in need as well as help mentor the youth that are so eager to help us revamp these vehicles.
How We are Supported
Garage Knights support is garnered through corporate, public, and private contributions, as well as special projects, such as designing, building, and selling customized and one of a kind vehicle. We have sufficient adult volunteers to oversee the operation, 6 from the board of directors as well as 8 more in the operations of the organization all volunteers. We have vehicles that have been donated to us by members of the community, and we have commitments from Foundations, area businesses, sports venues, and churches for supplies, substantial discounts on the purchase of parts and disposables, for public relations/advertisement as well as donations. Many others have said yes but very few have stepped up thus far.
How We Evaluate Our Program
Our primary goal is to help youth develop teamwork and leadership skills, and to strengthen their sense of civic responsibility. We will select participants to act as Team Leaders and Project Leaders based on their abilities to work as part of team and as a leader. Thus, throughout their time in Garage Knights we will be able to determine whether we are succeeding with our primary goal. In addition, we have an entrance and an exit survey that asks about their views of volunteer work. If we see an increased desire to volunteer in the community, we will interpret this to mean that we are succeeding in our goals. A final, and important aspect of Garage Knights, is providing reliable transportation to those who need it. This is a very tangible outcome measure, and we will consider Garage Knights successful if we provide a minimum of 6 vehicles to individuals in need.
Garage Knights also believes that when the youth that are currently involved would rather be in the garage on a Friday night working on a 14 year old Dodge Neon rather than out being mischievous in their community shows the program works. We feel that if we can help a family in need by giving them a reliable 15 year old Jeep Grand Cherokee to take their children to the doctor or just to go get groceries the program works. If a young person doesn’t have the funds or ability to fix their own vehicle and we can and do and that allows them to be on time for work then the program works. If we can fix a student’s vehicle and it affords them to take another class instead of paying for full price repairs then the program works. If Garage Knights did not work there would be no need for the organization.
Our Invitation to You
Garage Knights and its member’s invites you to join us and see for yourself it works for all who are involved and who have been touched by the organization. We just need some help just as others need it from us.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Garage Knights
If you are interested in helping our organization click here to contact us
