Library Program Helps Cars of Hope Move Into Fast Lane

January 10, 2020

Romas Povilonis has always been around cars.

Growing up on his family’s farm, he created a two-seater dune buggy from old car parts. The buggy ran around the fields for years.

Later, his high school teachers learned about his interest in cars. They often came to him when they needed repairs.

How Cars of Hope Began Helping Local Families

Romas learned that some people in Chicago’s suburbs had no car. Without reliable transportation, getting to work or driving children to school became difficult.

He decided to do something about it.

For over a decade, Romas has served as executive director of Cars of Hope. The organization is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Cars of Hope repairs and donates vehicles to deserving families in Chicago’s western suburbs.

“We’re giving cars to the people in our community, the community we live in; our people are benefitting,” he said.

“If someone donates a car in Naperville, you’re helping someone in your neighborhood.”

How Cars of Hope Uses Donated Vehicles

The organization’s mission is simple. Donate your vehicle to Cars of Hope, and the team will use it to help an under-resourced family.

Cars of Hope accepts vehicles whether they run or not.

The team repairs suitable vehicles to make them safe, reliable, and affordable for families to maintain.

However, some vehicles cannot be repaired economically. In those cases, Cars of Hope sells them at auction or scraps them for parts.

The organization uses the proceeds to pay for repairs. Professional automotive shops work with Cars of Hope on a nonprofit basis.

Supporting Families Through Local Partnerships

Local partner organizations usually connect families with Cars of Hope.

At the time of the article, these partners included Hesed House, Caring Network of Illinois, LifeSpring, Wayside Cross, Nativity House, and Community Christian Church.

You can find more information about the organization’s community partners.

“We really want to help ensure that our recipients have a community supporting them after they receive the car,” Romas said.

“We always want to make sure they have a support network behind them in case they’ve fallen on hard times again.”

Before families receive their keys, Cars of Hope holds a 20-minute donation celebration.

During the celebration, volunteers install new license plates. Participants also share a prayer and discuss the vehicle’s expected impact on the family’s life.

How NaperLaunch Academy Helped Cars of Hope

Romas previously worked as an engineer at Caterpillar for 37 years.

He also graduated from NaperLaunch Academy, a free 17-week business program.

The academy helps entrepreneurs develop essential business skills. These include salesmanship, leadership, and the “lean startup process.”

Romas applied a sales methodology based on training developed by Xerox Corporation. This approach helped him better understand his customers.

He also used NaperLaunch’s digital research databases. In addition, he received guidance from business mentors at SCORE Fox Valley.

“NaperLaunch Academy has really helped me take Cars of Hope to the next level of professionalism and success,” he said.

How Business Training Supports Nonprofit Growth

Kent Palmer served as Business Services Librarian and NaperLaunch Facilitator.

He believed Romas represented an experienced founder who had successfully launched an organization but still faced challenges.

“In Romas’ case, he developed a deeper understanding of his value proposition,” Palmer said.

“We find that the NaperLaunch Academy experience helps entrepreneurs to review and think again about what they are trying to achieve.”

“Things usually crystallize, and they have a fresh start and suddenly, they identify something that gets them over the hurdle, or whatever it is that has slowed their progress.”

Cars of Hope’s Goals for the Future

In 2020, Romas hoped to expand the donation base for Cars of Hope.

His goal was to donate one vehicle per month. Eventually, he hoped to increase that number to two or three vehicles.

Meanwhile, Cars of Hope continued helping families facing difficult circumstances.

The organization focused on providing reliable transportation. This assistance helped families reach their workplaces and work toward financial independence.

Romas also shared encouraging stories from past recipients.

“We’ve had a couple of car recipients who’ve come back to us and told us they had the car running for another six or seven years,” he said.

“They were financially back on their feet and in turn, they were helping people in their community with their transportation needs.”

Learn More About Cars of Hope and NaperLaunch

To learn more about Cars of Hope, call (224) 216-CARS or visit www.carsofhope.org.

At the time of publication, the next NaperLaunch Academy session was scheduled for Tuesday, January 14, 2020.

An open house was also announced for Tuesday, January 7, at 7 p.m. The event was scheduled at Nichols Library.

For more information about NaperLaunch and academy membership, visit www.naperlaunch.org.