Austin senior's car sits waiting for repairs. How to help Season for Caring families.

Bridget Grumet and Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman
·4 min read
Olivia R. Hernandez, left, 82, and daughter Debbie Hernandez, 61, review their utility bills at the dining table. They have had to rely on relatives for transportation after their vehicle stopped working last year.
Olivia R. Hernandez, left, 82, and daughter Debbie Hernandez, 61, review their utility bills at the dining table. They have had to rely on relatives for transportation after their vehicle stopped working last year.

Olivia R. Hernandez was running errands last year with her daughter, Debbie, when the car started smoking. A coughing sound from the engine signaled costly repairs were ahead.

“We had to call my cousin to come and get us from the post office,” Debbie Hernandez, 61, recalled.

The Hernandez's 2010 Chevrolet HHR has been sitting in their driveway ever since, too broken down to drive but too expensive to fix. The car needs a replacement motor, or the family needs a replacement car.

Mother and daughter rely on other family members to drive them to doctor’s appointments and the grocery store. Sometimes that means relatives taking time off from work or taking their own kids out of school early in order to drive Debbie or Olivia to an appointment across town.

“This is the first time I’ve been without a car. I’ve always had a car,” said Olivia Hernandez, 82, who raised five children and worked for two decades as a custodian before retiring. But looking at the demands on her tight budget, she said, “I’d rather have a roof over my head.”

The Hernandez family is part of the Statesman's 25th Season for Caring program, which helps hundreds of families each year through local nonprofit agencies. The Hernandez family was nominated by Interfaith Action of Central Texas' Hands on Housing program, which helps repair the homes of older adults and people with disabilities living in deep poverty.

Season for Caring and its agency partners are all nonprofits, making all donations, whether a monetary donation or an item on a wish list, tax deductible. To help the Hernandez family, contact Interfaith Action of Central Texas at 512-386-9145, interfaithtexas.org.

Used cars have been an increasingly hard donation to secure because of their rising value, but it's one of the most requested items Season for Caring families need. It also makes the most impact on families' lives. For working families, a car becomes essential in maintaining employment and procuring care for their children.

Many of this year's Season for Caring families need car repairs, a better vehicle or bus passes.

Kristin Ramirez was in an accident this month and the car was totaled. The mom with breast cancer needs a vehicle that can fit her and her six children. Her daughter, Gigi, 16, needs driver's education classes and a car once she gets her license. That way, she can run errands, especially while mom is undergoing cancer treatments. Breast Cancer Resource Center, 512-524-2560, bcrc.org.

Betty Patina-Trujillo needs four tires for her car, driving lessons and a gently used car for son Ruben. She has multiple sclerosis, and her middle child has had major back surgeries. Wonders & Worries, 512-329-5757, wondersandworries.org

Aimable Mukire, who left the Congo with his family to live in refugee camps in Burundi before settling in Austin four years ago, needs a gently used car for the family of seven. Interfaith Action of Central Texas, 512-386-9145, interfaithtexas.org.

Ashley Joiner and Georges Jerome need a family-sized vehicle for their family of nine. The parents lost their 3-year-old to pneumonia last year. Any Baby Can, 512-276-8199, anybabycan.org.

Chris Watkins and Rebecca Adamson, who served in the Marines, have big dreams after being unhoused. They need a gently used car and a food truck to help Adamson. Foundation Communities, 737-267-5738, foundcom.org.

Sue Smith, who has hearing loss, needs bus passes to get around town. Family Eldercare, 512-450-0844, familyeldercare.org.

Ruben Patina-Trujillo, center, waits for feedback on some baked goods from his siblings Margarito Patina-Trujillo, left, and Eliza Patina-Trujillo, right, in their home in Del Valle. Ruben would like to learn to drive so he can help his family more. His mother needs new tires on her car.
Ruben Patina-Trujillo, center, waits for feedback on some baked goods from his siblings Margarito Patina-Trujillo, left, and Eliza Patina-Trujillo, right, in their home in Del Valle. Ruben would like to learn to drive so he can help his family more. His mother needs new tires on her car.

Other Season for Caring families have transportation, but donations will help them with their car payments.

Charles Richard has advanced lung cancer. Austin Palliative Care, 512-397-3360, option 3, austinpalliativecare.org.

Bonnie Yett became a widow in October and is raising her grandson after her daughter died in June. Meals on Wheels Central Texas at 512-476-6325, mealsonwheelscentraltexas.org.

Tracey Piper adopted a relative as a baby while recovering from a brain tumor. Community Action of Central Texas, 512-392-1161, ext. 329, communityaction.com.

Aaliyah Gaulmon found her way into housing after living in her car and two shelters with her 4-year-old daughter. Caritas of Austin, 512-996-4024, caritasofaustin.org.

Phyllis Campos has twin sons who have cerebral palsy. In addition to help with car payments, her son, Casey, needs Uber or Lyft tickets to get to work at H-E-B. Hospice Austin, 512-342-4726, hospiceaustin.org.

25th Season for Caring
25th Season for Caring

About Season for Caring

The Statesman will be sharing the stories of all 12 Season for Caring families throughout the holiday season. Find more stories and information at statesman.com/seasonforcaring. You can donate online or use the coupon on Page 8E. Now through Dec. 25, all monetary donations will be matched up to $500,000 by the Sheth family.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: How to help Season for Caring families in need of used cars, repairs