Process for Car Grants and $$ Refunds

Process for $$ refund on car purchased from us, car grant or follow-up car repair

St. Croix Valley Christians in Action receives many requests for help each month. It is our desire that what we do will “help” rather than “enable” people. We are volunteers and can only help a few people each month. God and donors expect us to be good stewards of what we have been given to manage. Therefore, before we can give people significant resources, such as follow-up car repair, a car grant, or 2/3 (up to $1,000) $$ refund on a car purchased from us, we must ask that they make commitments to become the best steward/manager of the resources they are put in charge of by God.

What is required of recipients?

You must be working or going to school and have an income within 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines. For others in need, we will consider a request from your pastor. Our program works mainly with single parent moms and married couples who are working or going to school. Our programs are not for a typical high-school or college student.
You will work with a mentor for at least six months, although you will find that a full year is much better. It takes time to learn new habits and change ways of thinking. A mentor is a Christian couple or person, active in their Christian church, that is willing to complete the classes with you and work with you for at least six months. Mentors offer suggestions and accountability as you develop and maintain a working budget and as you work to meet goals that you set for yourself. At least one of your mentors must be the same sex as you are. Your mentor cannot be a close friend, relative or employer. If you do not belong to a church, begin volunteering at a Christian church near you and you will soon meet active Christians who could become your mentors. You are doing them a favor by asking them to attend these classes.
Your mentor(s) and you will complete either the “Crown Small Group Study” (CSGS) or the 6 week version of "Journey to Financial Freedom" (JTFF) classes. You and your mentor(s) must attend all classes and be on time. Your mentor(s) and you will also meet at least twice with the instructor (Conference 1 and Conference 2) to discuss specifics of your budget and application of Biblical principles. A conference takes about 1½ - 2 hours. You must be on time and complete all requirements.
1. CSGS details: Materials cost $45.00 -$65.00, meets 10-11 times for two hours each. Conference 1 takes place between weeks 4 to 6.
2. JTFF details: Materials costs $12.00, meets 6 times for 2 ½ hours each. Conference 1 takes place between weeks 2 and 4.
  Conference 1: Bring your up-to-date workbook and the following items:
  1. “Monthly Income and Expenses” (expanded version)
  2. “Debt List”
  3. Where you drive list (see “Car Budget – 2 steps”);
  4. 30 day financial diary “originals” & transferred
  5. Goals (Financial, Personal, Spiritual)
  Conference 2: Bring same as conference 1 plus appropriate “Individual Account Page” pages, Time Stewardship diary, completed budget and completed workbook. You will explain this plus your completed budget to the instructor.
These classes are offered several times a year (usually January and September) at different churches throughout the Twin Cities area. Check with churches in your area. Most people will take the Crown Small Group Study. Advise your instructor to call us before the classes begin or by the end of the 1st class at the latest. 651-773-3083 or scvcia1@juno.com They will receive instructions and several other forms that are required by our program.
You will establish and keep a budget for a minimum of one year. Commit to no additional debt and becoming debt free. This includes limiting your spending to “needs” rather than “wants” or “desires” and putting every available penny toward debt reduction and a sound budget. This is very important if you want your finances to begin to balance and gain the peace of being debt-free.
Your mentor(s) and you will discuss your budget every two weeks for the first 3-4 months and then monthly thereafter for up to one year. You will keep your instructor apprised of your budget. This includes sending an updated copy of your “Monthly Income and Expenses - expanded” and debt list at three and six months after completion of the course. These updated forms must be sent to the attention of your instructor at St. Croix Valley Christians in Action, P.O. Box 225, Lake Elmo, MN 55042.
You have “extras” which you can share with others. In doing so you will be helping others and at the same time expanding your number of friends and associates. This is important. One of the best ways to do this is to begin volunteering at a Christian church near where you live.
Determine what resources you have in excess so that you can share them with others in your community. The areas to consider include:
- Time/Energy — Do you have excess time and energy that you could share with someone else (i.e., babysitting, helping the elderly with grocery shopping, etc.).
- Spirit — Are you a person of great faith who could share your inner strength and peace with others who may not have that gift (i.e., praying for others, being there for someone who is struggling emotionally)?
- Relationships — Are you a person who could offer friendship to someone who has no support system and is lonely? Maybe your mobility is limited but you can help via the telephone.
- Information — Are you an "expert" in a certain area? Could you share that knowledge with others in the community (i.e., teach a youth group a craft you may be skilled at, help several women learn how to prepare meals from “scratch,” or offer your skill at a local church)?
- Financial — After going through your budget, are you able to free up some cash that could be donated to your church to help someone else in the community? Maybe you could teach the course. The people who operate the St. Croix Valley Christians in Action Car Care Saturday and Car Grant programs are volunteers. They are people, just like you, who found themselves with a gift that God has given them and this is how they share it with people who need it.
In conference 1 the instructor will ask you many questions and help you understand how the class materials apply to you. Conference 2 takes place after the course is completed and you have a written budget and all homework done. Sometimes there are several conferences before you complete the requirements of Conference 2. A completed conference 2 is when you are able to explain to the instructor how to use the forms and materials, how you have developed your budget and you show a completed and working budget. After Conference 2, your instructor will bring your case before St. Croix Valley Christians in Action’s benevolence committee. A decision will be made based on your budget, your effort in completing the classes and other requirements listed above and applying the Biblical principals and budget to your life. Within a week you should receive a call from your referring pastor about the car grant (or 2/3 $$ refund on car purchased from us) that you will receive.
You must have a valid Minnesota driver’s license and car insurance before you will receive car repair, a car grant or purchase a car. Once approved for a car grant or purchase you will be given a vehicle VIN # so you can obtain insurance. We recommend that you have comprehensive as well as the required insurance. That way you can replace your vehicle if you are in an accident prior to having enough saved to pay cash for a vehicle.
You will build into your budget a plan whereby you can afford to maintain and eventually replace your vehicle. The significant resources provided to you will then be of long-term benefit. You will benefit most if you regularly update and following your budget. If you fail to follow your budget, you may soon find yourself with a broken down vehicle and no money to fix it. We have helped you learn and plan, but you must carry through. We don’t help a second time.

Begin working with your mentor now. The Mentor Involvement document gives you guidance on getting started. Make sure that you and your mentor have read this document, Mentor Involvement and Why Bible and Church Involvement. Periodically review these documents also.