ORLANDO, Fla. — Hadas Brown, Reporter – WESH News
It started with a business that is meant to make car-buying more honest.
That business led to a charity, and Wednesday morning, those involved got to see their work pay off.
A local mother received a big gift.
Athena Staton grew up in the car business. She saw how some dealerships took advantage of potential customers. That’s what led her to start a business called “SheCar” to help people avoid getting swindled — with the goal of using that business to fund a new nonprofit called “SheCare.”
“When you buy a SheCar car, a percentage of the fee goes into SheCare, and that is where we are able to help people with significant financial assistance,” Staton said.
Deanna Denmark is a single mother of five living at the Orlando Union Rescue Mission.
“Walking, catching the bus, sometimes struggle with bus fare, trying to scrape up two dollars,” Denmark said.
Now, Denmark is the very first recipient of a car of her own, courtesy of the charity.
“We had a recent client who bought a SheCar car and decided to donate their Toyota Highlander to SheCare in an effort to give it to someone in need, and that’s how we found Deanna,” Staton said.
“I’ve been going through it, I’ve been walking, I’ve been catching the bus, I ain’t been complaining, but here I am,” Denmark said.
She can even fit all five kids inside the vehicle.
“It means everything to me to be able to help one person today,” Staton said.
Staton hopes Deanna is just the first of many recipients, and that maybe, eventually, they’ll be able to donate one car a month.
