Sioux Falls nonprofit repairs cars at cost for low-income residents; ‘We want one-time customers’

Volunteers at the SHIFT Garage in northern Sioux Falls aren't just repairing vehicles, they're trying to change lives.

SHIFT Garage is a nonprofit volunteer-based vehicle repair shop at 3632 N. Casco Ave. that charges low-income customers at cost for replacements and repairs. They also accept donated vehicles, fix them up and sell them for a low cost to families.

While the nonprofit started in Rapid City about a decade ago, founder and director Joe Smith recently expanded to a second location in Sioux Falls late last year.

The goal is to help people get their vehicles up and running so they can return to their lives easily, he said. Overall, such a simple fix can make an impact on generational poverty, he added.

"A car breaking down shuts down your whole system when you're living paycheck to paycheck," Smith said. "You have to make a decision on financing and signing your life away to simply drive to work."

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While there are plenty of nonprofits to address food and housing in the Sioux Falls area, reliable transportation needs more attention, he added.

Other nonprofits in Sioux Falls addressing transportation issues include Sioux Empire Wheels to Work, which matches single-parent families with donated and repaired vehicles, and Project CAR, which offers free car rides.

"They can't get groceries, get to work or get their kids to daycare without a car," Smith said. "And some solutions, like Lyft or Uber, are more expensive; Sioux Falls' public transportation can be unreliable; and your friends are only going to keep picking up the phone for a couple weeks."

Inflation, car shortage increases need

After opening the shop in October 2021, Smith says the need for affordable car repair services is greater than ever. Inflation and the rising cost of used vehicles in the last year or so have only exacerbated the need.

Smith said he's seeing "crummier" cars coming in for repair than he saw in Rapid City years before because of it.

"When people got their tax returns last year, they needed it to survive and kept driving their old cars instead of saving it to purchase a newer vehicle," Smith said. "They didn't get maintenance done on that vehicle though, so when cars come to me they don't have just one problem they have four other problems."

The Rapid City location repairs about 150 vehicles and sells between 25 and 30 donated program vehicles a year. The demand is so high in Rapid City alone, where the nonprofit has more volunteers and twice the amount of working hours, that clients have to wait two months to fit in the schedule.

In just the last few months of 2021 after opening, SHIFT in Sioux Falls repaired 17 vehicles.

Teaching car maintenance, budgeting classes to customers

Chris Erickson, director of SHIFT West in Rapid City, used to work as a mechanic before volunteering at SHIFT and taking over the director role when Smith moved to Sioux Falls with his family last year.

"We want one-time customers at SHIFT," Erickson said.

That philosophy means not only making repairs on vehicles, but also holding education and budgeting classes for customers. There are classes in Rapid City currently and Smith plans to start classes in Sioux Falls later this year.

"When we repair these cars, we're putting a Band-Aid on a deeper problem," Smith said. "The car will help for a while, but they won't be driving that in five years. If the education can stick, that's what will help people long-term."

Most of the problems addressed at SHIFT are preventable. Erickson said they take the time to walk through with customers basic car maintenance, how to listen for problems and prevent issues so they can extend the lives of their vehicles.

"People in Rapid City we serve don't get a lot of education when it comes to mechanical issues," Chris said. "They don't teach it in schools, and with how busy mechanic shops are, they don't have time to tell you what to look for. It's more transactional at those shops."

Smooth-running cars make a smooth-running community

Getting people get back in their cars doesn't just help them, it helps the Sioux Falls community, Erickson said.

"Instead of having a vehicle that sits in the driveway for five years, people can donate it and get it fixed here," Erickson said. "Our customers then take that car and make money at jobs, they go shopping at the grocery store, and they're less dependent on other nonprofits because they're able to pay for rent and food instead of paying for a car repair."

Smith is fast to point out that SHIFT isn't competing with other mechanics or garages in Sioux Falls, adding that he makes plenty of referrals on issues his volunteers "shouldn't mess with." Volunteers are not certified mechanics, just simply people who want to use their time and skills for a cause.

He plans to do more in Sioux Falls to address the growing need in the area soon and is looking for more volunteers and people to donate vehicles.

"To make a real dent in the need in Sioux Falls, we need to scale up more than we are," Smith said.

How to get involved, apply for repair

To qualify for SHIFT car repair, potential clients must fill out an application online demonstrating their need for the low-cost repair. While a board reviews all applications, the program focuses on helping single parents or low-income families.

For those interested in donating a vehicle, they can contact SHIFT online. The garage accepts vehicle donations and can provide a tax-deductible receipt. Monetary donations can also be made online.

Volunteers are also welcome to join the team. Those interested can apply online.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Nonprofit fixes cars for Sioux Falls, Rapid City low-income residents