Please read this short article from Forbes which captures the heart of OnRamp so well. The key to helping people out of poverty is building relationships, not providing services. Unfortunately, most of us think about charity only through the grid of services. We give a person or family in need a box of food or rent for the month or even a new vehicle. That is a kind gift, but as the research shows, it rarely leads to transformative change if it is not accompanied by the far more important ingredient of relationships. This should not surprise those familiar with Jesus’ model of ministry. He didn’t just give services - food, healing, instruction. He gave Himself. He offered to become a kind leader, friend, and brother to those who came to Him. He gave His life, not just His charity, for those in need, and He calls us to do the same. So to be clear, the call of Jesus upon us towards the poor is not simply to open our pocketbooks and make a donation once a year, though monetary donations are certainly needed. His call is far harder. It is to open our hearts and lives to welcome them in as friends and brothers and sisters; to love them and do life with them for this is what brings genuine change. And while the article focuses on the change it brings for the poor, I would argue it brings just as essential a change to the rich! We who have plenty are in desperate need of relationships with the poor who can teach us that security and love are not found in our possessions or bank accounts. We need them to show us what deep faith in Jesus looks like, even when we have nothing to our name.
This is the philosophy behind everything OnRamp does. Many people mistakenly believe we are a charity that gives away cars. No, we are a charity that uses cars to build transformative relationships with our neighbors in need. That’s why every client gets a full year of free maintenance, up to and including totally replacing their OnRamp car if it wears out during that time. That twelve months warranty gives us opportunity to get to know them, love them, encourage them, and learn from them. We could serve far more people if our ministry ended the moment we hand someone the keys to a new car. But as the article and the Bible make clear, that would be short sighted. So we sacrifice breadth for depth and prioritize relationships over automobiles. The client in the picture above, Cheyna, is an example. Through relationships with OnRamp, her church, her advocates, and others, she has not only found stable transportation, she now owns a home, has a great job, and has bought a new vehicle after ours served her for over four years. She’s an incredible success… because of the power of relationships.
Hopefully this short philosophical soapbox has given you a sense of why we do what we do, and inspired you to find new ways to open your heart and your home to those in need. It can transform both them and you for the better!