TAMPA, Fla. — A local veteran was all smiles and nothing short of grateful as a nonprofit unveiled the new car he would be getting.
Tampa nonprofit "Wheels of Success" presented Air Force veteran Joshua Reinhardt with a new car on 10 Tampa Bay's Great Day Live show where he was ecstatic. Josh was previously riding his electric scooter to and from where he works at a sober living facility, and the nonprofit staff knew he needed a better method of transportation.
"It's great except for when the elements come into play and the rain starts," he said. "This is just going to change my life so much and make me be able to help other veterans so much more, and I can't wait."
Wheels of Success helps families get reliable transportation by partnering with companies in the automotive industry to donate cars or assist families with car repairs, payments and much more.
Founder Susan Jacobs said while public transportation has improved over the past 20 years that she's been running the organization, the commute using the bus system can be very long.
"So many folks are having to move further and further out to be able to afford where to live and now they're an hour and a half, if there is even a bus there," she said. "An hour and a half each way on the bus, so what is their quality of life."
She said many people come to the organization saying they have been fired because they were late to work because of unreliable transportation.
The TEGNA Foundation partnered with Wheels of Success to buy the car for Reinhardt. The way nonprofit's program works is people receiving a vehicle "buy" it from the program by making monthly payments based on their ability to pay and donating five hours of service hours per month to the organization, according to the website.
They have multiple other programs including helping victims of domestic violence, young people aging out of foster care and direct care workers.
As for Reinhardt, he said he couldn't believe this was happening.
"It feels like relief oh my gosh. I'm going to be able to pick up my nephews from school," he said. "This is going to make life so much easier."