What we do

Introduction | Vehicle donations | Project Family Car | Training | About the founders

Introduction

Founded in 1994, Auto Tech, Inc. (ATI) is a Nonprofit Organization created on the principle that everyone can help to make a positive change in their community. At a time in our history when what we see around us is often called old, outdated or throw away, we believe that someone's unneeded goods are often another person's opportunity.

It is this vision of opportunity that we would like to talk about. There are some of us who have had opportunities and have been successful. There are some of us who want an opportunity to be successful, but can't seem to put all the pieces together without some help and encouragement. It is this help and encouragement that ATI would like to address through its program.

ATI is a Chapter 317A nonprofit organization that provides opportunities to the community in the following ways:

Vehicle Donations:

If you have a car, van or truck that is drivable or repairable, you can make a donation to Auto Technical, Inc. and receive a fair market tax deduction for your contribution.

Not only do you gain a tax deduction, but you are giving someone who is struggling to make changes in their life an opportunity to learn marketable skills, gain self-esteem, and experience the feeling of success.

Project Family Car is a program that provides affordable, reliable cars to help families make the transition from welfare to work. All vehicles are provided and refurbished by Auto Technical, Inc. Auto Technical, Inc. (ATI) accepts donated vehicles, assesses necessary repairs, refurbishes and reconditions the vehicle for a new life for a family struggling to maintain self-sufficiency.

ATI, in collaboration with several human service providers throughout the metropolitan community, identifies families who have made the successful transition from welfare to work and have obtained employment and are seeking reliable, affordable vehicles to maintain their employment and their new found dignity. Counselors working with families who are successfully employed refer the families to ATI.

ATI also provides Car Care Clinics for families who receive vehicles. The goal is not only to provide affordable reliable transportation for families, but to also make them knowledgeable consumers. Participants learn how to troubleshoot possible problems, learn how to check fluids, belts and hoses. The goal is to teach families how to maintain their car and ensure that the car stays on the road and becomes an asset in the family's goal of long term self-sufficiency. Families participating in Project Family Car are asked to attend financial and budget management classes. These classes help the families learn how to manage money more effectively and to understand the associated costs of owning a car. Many of the families have never owned a car before and the classes help them understand how to manage these new expenses.

Vehicles donated to ATI that are not appropriate for families, i.e. older luxury cars are checked, repaired and sold to the general public. These sales help ATI carry on the work of offering low cost or no cost transportation to low income families. Other cars found to be too old or too worn to repair are stripped for usable parts to keep the costs of refurbishing as efficient as possible. Your donated vehicles and partnership give families reliable and affordable transportation and you, the donor, know that your donated vehicle has a new life providing transportation to low income families who need this transportation to maintain independence and self-sufficiency.

ATI also provides training for individuals interested in gaining skills in auto mechanical repair. Through the use of mentors, participants learn skills in tune up, brake and muffler repair, auto body repair and detailing. Participants using ATI Mentor training are generally low income, with very low reading and writing skills and may have English as their second language. The purpose of this mentor training is to help participants gain confidence and learning skills before moving on to an accredited training program.

Please consider a donation to Auto Technical, Inc. Your donation and partnership will help families and individuals in our community develop marketable skills and an opportunity to maintain personal financial self-sufficiency.

ATI is legally organized under the State of Minnesota, Chapter 317A Nonprofit Organization, Federal Tax I.D. Number 41-1813762.

Our goal is to mobilize community resources. If you are a member of a civic organization or church group and would like to work with our organization, or if you would like a speaker to discuss the programs offered by ATI, please call 612-919-5526 or 651-646-7826.

About the founders:

Richard Johnson, Executive Director, has over 35 years experience in the Auto Industry as a business owner (#1 Mazda Dealership in the Northwest). He has received numerous awards for sales and leadership and innovation in business management. After a successful career Richard retired and wanted to do something to help families struggling to achieve self-sufficiency. ATI was created in 1994. Richard is now a full time unpaid volunteer. He continues to provide leadership and direction to carry out ATI's vision of reliable transportation for low-income families.

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