Driving Toward Prosperity: How ChangingGears Breaks Barriers to Opportunity

A Community in Need

In Greater Cincinnati, one in four families lives in poverty—more than twice the national average. Behind that staggering statistic lies a stubborn, yet often-overlooked obstacle: the lack of reliable, affordable transportation. For many families, the math is frustratingly simple. You can’t get to your job without a car—and you can’t afford a car without a job.

ChangingGears exists to break that cycle.

The ChangingGears Mission

The mission of ChangingGears is built around a powerful idea: that transportation isn’t just about getting from point A to point B—it’s about unlocking opportunity. Having access to a car empowers clients to secure and sustain employment, pursue education, access healthcare, and support their families. Through an innovative combination of vehicle repair, support for affordable car purchases, and hands-on training programs, ChangingGears delivers more than transportation—it delivers a pathway to stability and self-reliance.

It is a model centered on dignity. Rather than giving away vehicles, ChangingGears clients contribute toward the cost of a vehicle and participate in the process—turning what could be a handout into a hand up. This approach reinforces self-worth, builds confidence, and helps each client feel a sense of ownership in their journey toward prosperity.

A Legacy of Love—for Cars and for People

For the Adam R. Scripps Foundation, supporting ChangingGears was more than just a grant. It was a chance to honor Adam’s passions—his love of cars, his talent for fixing things, and his deep commitment to helping others move forward.

Adam had a love for speed, and some of his happiest moments were had while piloting fast vehicles, whether a jeep, a plane or a speedboat.  But his real gift was an affinity for all things mechanical and a relentless curiosity for how things worked. That spirit—combining resourcefulness, joy, self-reliance and generosity—is reflected in every mile that ChangingGears helps its clients drive.

Building Capacity, Expanding Impact

Thanks to his foundation’s support, ChangingGears achieved a dramatic leap in capacity. In just one year, the organization nearly doubled the number of individuals served—from 284 to 565 clients—across its three core programs:

• Repair: Service engagements more than doubled, from 224 to 511—a 128% increase.
• Technician Training: Graduates grew from 12 to 20, a 67% increase.
• Purchase: 34 clients purchased vehicles, a slight decrease from the previous year as more clients were served through repairs.

To sustain this growth in operations, ChangingGears added five new team members, an 83% increase in staff capacity. They also launched Salesforce to track outcomes across multiple programs and referral partners and adopted the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to improve internal operations and decision-making. These investments were about more than keeping up with demand—they were about building an infrastructure for long-term impact.

Behind these numbers are stories of resilience and transformation. Take Marcus, for example—a father, recent HVAC graduate, and formerly incarcerated individual determined to build a new life. When both of his cars broke down, Marcus found himself at a crossroads. Through connections at CityLink and the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), he was introduced to ChangingGears.

To Marcus, a car wasn’t just a means of transportation—it was a promise kept. After four years away from his daughter, he had vowed to do everything in his power to support her. Thanks to ChangingGears, he now has a reliable vehicle, a steady job as a Site Supervisor at CEO, and the ability to coach his daughter’s basketball team, help with her homework, and plan outings together, including an upcoming trip to see The Wizard of Oz ballet. More than providing transportation, Marcus’s experience with ChangingGears has given him freedom, stability, and a future of possibility.

More Than a Grant: A Partnership for Long-Term Change

Of course, dramatic growth never comes without challenges. Timelines stretched, costs rose, and the complexity of implementation required patience and persistence. The Adam R. Scripps Foundation stood by ChangingGears through it all—supporting not just short-term wins, but long-term success. That kind of partnership makes it possible to build for the future, not just react to the present.

Looking Ahead: Scaling a Proven Model

ChangingGears is poised to take the next step: scaling its proven model both locally and nationally. In Greater Cincinnati, the organization is expanding its reach by partnering with more community organizations. Today, clients are referred through two key partners—CityLink Center and Santa Maria Community Services. By year’s end, three more partners are expected to come online.

Beyond Cincinnati, ChangingGears is laying the groundwork to replicate its model in other cities, launching a new affiliate network for nonprofit transportation providers. This effort will share best practices, streamline replication, and multiply the impact of over a decade of learning.

Driving Toward Opportunity

ChangingGears is more than a program—it’s a movement. One that recognizes reliable transportation as a critical lever in the fight against poverty. One that believes in the power of people to drive their own futures forward. And one that is gaining speed, thanks to the vision and generosity of the Adam R. Scripps Foundation.

Together, they’re proving what’s possible when compassion meets horsepower—and when a community puts the keys to opportunity in the hands of those ready to move forward.