Local woman surprised with much-needed car by charity organizations
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- Dora Rubio, center, is accompanied by Jimi Pitts of God’s Garage as she sees her newly gifted vehicle on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
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- Dora Rubio, left, Jimi Pitts of God’s Garage, center, and Amber Greenwell, executive director of the America First Credit Union Charitable Foundation, right, check out the 2017 Toyota Corolla that Rubio was gifted by the two organizations Wednesday, July 25, 2025.
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- Dora Rubio takes time to check out the vehicle gifted to her by God’s Garage and the America First Credit Union Charitable Foundation on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
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- Dora Rubio celebrates her new vehicle along with staff from God’s Garage and America First Credit Union on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
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- Dora Rubio takes time to check out the vehicle gifted to her by God’s Garage and the America First Credit Union Charitable Foundation on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
RIVERDALE — Dora Rubio has given much to members of the community in its times of need. This week, it was the community’s opportunity to give back to her.
On Wednesday, God’s Garage, in conjunction with the America First Credit Union Charitable Foundation, gifted Rubio a 2017 Toyota Corolla after her own vehicle’s transmission gave out, leaving her without reliable transportation.
Rubio — a single mother of five who has worked with Ogden’s YCC Family Crisis Center for nearly 15 years — told the Standard-Examiner that the whole thing came as a surprise when she was driven to America First Credit Union’s corporate offices in Riverdale under the guise of an errand.
“I just didn’t know what to think,” she said. “I didn’t know what was going on. It was a surprise for sure.”
She said having the new vehicle is going to be a huge help going forward.
“It’s going to help me so much,” she said. “It’s going to help me feel confident — like I can be a mom, I can be there for my children and I can be there for my community and able to get to work and do what I need to do.”
Staff from both God’s Garage and America First Credit Union greeted a very emotional Rubio as she accepted the car Wednesday afternoon.
Jimi Pitts of God’s Garage told the Standard-Examiner that the organization has been active for six years and gives away donated vehicles to single moms with no other transportation options in the Ogden area.
“We saw a need in the community and we know we can’t do everything, but we figured we can do a couple of things, so we chose to help single moms with no transportation,” he said. “Six years ago, we opened up, started our entire program in the bay of a shop. Now we have six bays in Ogden and we try to give a car away per week.”
He said God’s Garage gave away 41 cars in 2024 alone.
Pitts said Rubio’s story was brought to their attention recently and they felt they had to spring into action
“I asked around and heard that there was a lady working at the YCC,” he said. “She’s been there 15 years, she donates her time, she works there, gives to the community right and left, but she’s without transportation and with kids. As you and I know, that can be so difficult in today’s world just trying to get around.”
He added that it was a phenomenal experience being able to gift Rubio with the much-needed vehicle.
“The excitement of being able to see a raw emotion of someone getting something so needed which is just so simple — it’s transportation — but to see the gift that it is for them makes this all worth everything,” he said.
Amber Greenwell, executive director of the America First Credit Union Charitable Foundation, told the Standard-Examiner that this isn’t the first time they have worked with God’s Garage.
“We have an amazing partnership with God’s Garage and this is actually our fourth car giveaway that we have done with them,” she said. “Today was filled with high emotion, high impact, but really, the ability to come together collectively as two organizations with a common mission to build better communities and change the lives of individuals who deserve it.”
She added that Wednesday’s car giveaway was an amazing event.
“I’m humbled,” she said. “It was incredibly emotional for the fact that we are not only able to give an individual stability, but hope.”
Wednesday’s car presentation was followed by a light lunch for Rubio and all the participants involved in the giveaway.
Rubio added she was thankful to all those involved.
“I’m just so grateful for this opportunity, I don’t know what to say,” she said.
