Haskins Automotive in Wellesley helps give second chance to worthy car recipient

A typical day at Haskins Automotive in Wellesley consists of what you’d expect—the family-owned shop does a brisk business providing auto repair, body work, and used car sales, and has since it opened in 1929. But last Friday was no ordinary day at Haskins. The showroom floor buzzed with the energy of a couple dozen people eyeing a covered mystery vehicle, complete with giant bow on top. Looked like it was someone’s lucky day. And in this case, luck favored the prepared.

This is the story of how one man put in a lot of work to arrive at a place he once only dreamed of. To get there took determination, help from others, and hope, but Dennis (last name omitted for privacy) had reached an important milestone. It wasn’t easy. While  incarcerated several years ago, Dennis was unable to be there for his mother during her illness and subsequent passing. The emotional, heartbreaking time brought him to a very low place. “But I made a decision that time that I was going to turn my life around, to give honor to my mom and dad,” he said.

An important step for him was finding the Gavin Foundation in Boston. The non-profit agency provides substance abuse treatment programs and serves 10,000 individuals each year from Massachusetts and beyond. The program offers clients a continuum of care and services across different levels and settings;  support services to their families; and programs to increase community awareness and acceptance regarding addiction and recovery.

The Gavin Foundation opens its doors to pretty much everybody, working with them when they are ready to accept the help they need to achieve great outcomes.

Clinical director of recovery services Amy Matthews says, “Our folks come from everywhere. Incarceration, detox, the streets. All of them are suffering from drug and alcohol abuse. We like to see people from beginning to end of their treatment.”

Of Dennis, she says, “This guy is pretty exceptional, and we are so proud of him today and the work that he’s done to be so deserving of such an awesome gift.”

The Foundation, though, was only the first part of the “takes a village” concept, which eventually led to Dennis getting behind the wheel of a refurbished car. The Gavin Foundation worked with Second Chance Cars, which helps those in recovery find a vehicle to help them maintain employment and family ties. Second Chance Cars worked with Haskins Automotive, which refurbished the 20 year-old Honda Civic. Haskins Automotive worked with Eastern Auto Parts of Waltham, which donated all parts for the car. Along with Haskins, students from a Massachusetts vocational school provided some of the labor. And a Northeastern University student interning for Second Chance Cars works on strategies and documented the event for the organization.

“These wonderful people all throughout these years have come in by my side and didn’t judge me and believed in me and gave me hope,” Dennis said as he addressed his supporters through tears. He said it took asking for help and humbling himself to move forward. Today he works for an organization that helps people like himself, striving to get their lives together.

“It’s a big privilege and an honor for me to be a part of that, to be able to help other people, to be able to give back, where before I didn’t do that because I had a lot of emotional problems I’d never dealt with,” Dennis said.

The car itself will help Dennis in the obvious ways. With reliable transportation, he’ll be able to get to work on time, and to the various locations his job requires. He’ll also be able to more easily visit family, strengthening those essential bonds. In a less obvious way, the car will further help Dennis build a life of increased opportunity. The $900 zero-interest car loan Second Chance Cars secured for him will help improve his credit rating.

This is the first time Haskins Automotive has partnered with Second Hand Cars. “I’d heard about them, looked into the group, and decided I wanted to help out. Everybody here loved the project, the whole idea of what Second Hand does. It was great to see it all come together,” Rob Haskins said.

Dennis, who hasn’t owned a car for 20 years, once more thanked the crowd. “My mother would be so proud,” he said.

How to donate your vehicle to Second Chance Cars

• Fill out and submit Second Hand Cars’ quick online form
• They’ll reach out to schedule a pick-up
• They’ll send you a tax receipt for 100% of the retail value of your car (that’s higher than other car donation programs in MA)

You can also call or email anytime at 978-254-7545 or info@secondchancecars.org