Teenage residents of care home for children in northeast Oklahoma are being encouraged to buy their first cars with the support of an innovative program.
The Tulsa World reports that teenagers at the Sand Springs Children's home must earn $3,000 toward the acquisition of a car, which is then matched by agency funds or Pell Grants. Four adolescents who graduated last year earned enough to win matching funds to buy cars.
"Buying a car is not easy, and it is not cheap," said Jason Charles, executive director of the home. "We can't afford new cars, but we want them to be able to buy something reliable that will get them through college or help them get started in a job."
Charles Page, a Sand Springs philanthropist, opened the home in 1908. The charity provides residential placements for as many as 20 youths from the age of 8 to 18 years who cannot live in their homes due to family issues.
Youth are placed there through parental contract or by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. Charles said 20 children currently reside at the home.
The program to help teens purchase cars has been in place for around five years.
"At that age, it is really hard to get started in life if you don't have transportation," said Sheree Powell, of the state's Department of Human Services. "This is a creative way to help these kids get something absolutely essential to success."