Cathy Heying
As a Minneapolis social worker, Cathy often saw people desperately struggling to care for their families.
Many were single mothers trying unsuccessfully to juggle bus schedules with the needs of their children and their jobs.
As a result they turned to what they hoped would be old, cheap but reliable work cars.
But old cars frequently breakdown, requiring expensive repairs their owners can't afford.
Yet without those cars, their jobs were jeopardized, and without those jobs they couldn't pay their apartment rent, and often they and their children wound up back in shelters.
It was a vicious circle of frustration and failure for numerous families, and Cathy hoped someone would do something about it.
Then one day, Cathy realized she had to be that someone. So what did she do?
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Cathy enrolled at the Dunwoody Institute and over five years earned a degree in auto technology.
With the support of her employer, St. Stephen's Catholic Church Human Services, Cathy founded The Lift Garage, a nonprofit car repair shop to repair cars at sharply discounted prices for people in need..
Instead of charging $100 an hour for repairs, the common rate in Minneapolis, Cathy charges just $15 an hour, and she provides the car parts at cost, with no markup.
And for customers who still can't afford her prices, she offers payment terms.
The result is that Cathy has repaired the cars of over 300 low income people, saving them in all about $170,000, as she helps to keep them on a successful path of financial independence.
By her actions, Cathy has shown us the amazing difference one determined person with a big heart can make.
