Surprise – You Get a New Car!
Four days before Christmas, Vanessa* received a once in a lifetime Christmas surprise – her first car!
A bleary-eyed Vanessa walked into Merecedes-Benz of Columbia, Missouri thinking they were stopping to pick up some paperwork for their family vehicle. Just another errand on the list of many they were running after school.
She was greeted at the door by a few Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries staff members, her Children’s Division case worker, three Veterans United employees, and the GM of the dealership.
“What is going on?” she thought.
Our CDO, Kari Hopkins, welcomed her and drew her further inside with a warm hello. “Hi Vanessa. You might notice we are at a dealership where cars are sold. Believe it or not, they would like to GIVE you a car today.”
Tears of joy ran down her face immediately. Her foster mom, Tina, quickly embraced her as they both cried in amazement.
“Would you like to see your new car?” Kari asked.
Vanessa could only shake her head yes. Outside, waiting with a giant red bow, was a beautiful Ford Fiesta. The perfect first car.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, Vanessa asked Tina, “Is this real?”
“It is. It really is!” Tina exclaimed.
Let’s back up to how this all began.
The week prior, Josh Kaplan, a Veterans United employee charged with VU’s donating for the holiday season, heard of Vanessa’s need for a new car and decided he wanted to buy her one.
Vanessa, 17, had been working and saving everything she could from her work the last two years, but still a few thousand dollars short of a reliable first car.
Josh, along with many other VU employees and Mercedes-Benz of Columbia, pooled their resources. Together they had enough to buy the car, pay the property tax, and get it insured. Not only that, they blessed Vanessa’s younger sister with a trunk full of surprises as well!
“We’re so thankful that Vanessa got a car! She’s so excited, and doing well learning to drive. We pray blessings on those who helped make that happen, and we ask for prayers of safety for her travels as a new driver.”
~~Tina Burbridge, Vanessa’s Home Parent Mom
Raising children is a team effort. Our team overwhelmed us with blessings this past Christmas. Thank you, Veterans United for empowering your employees to give generously. Thank you to each employee who donated to give Vanessa her first car. Thank you to Mercedes-Benz of Columbia. You provided exemplary customer service to all of us. Thank you to Nick Rector, with Boone County Farm Bureau, for getting her insurance plan all set.
“People focus so much on negative things day to day, I just really wanted to make someone’s day and ‘wow’ them,” Josh concluded, when asked why he was motivated to give someone a car. “It was really inspiring to meet her! She has experienced and overcome so much adversity at such a young age. Hopefully our gift will help her continue her journey and help open up opportunities for her.”
