Chariots4Hope-WI

March 31, 2026

By La Crosse Community Foundation

In garages and parking lots across our community, something steady and practical is happening, and it’s changing lives in ways most of us rarely see.

Chariots4Hope helps people move forward by providing reliable vehicles when transportation stands in the way. What begins with a set of keys grows into something larger: education, mentorship, accountability, and a network of people committed to one another’s success.

As board chair, Jon Reavis is quick to describe himself as “just a mechanic.” Spend time around the organization, though, and you see something else. You see a leader who keeps things moving, shows up for shop nights, supports volunteers and the executive director, and fully believes in creating opportunities that strengthen independence and restore confidence.

Through your work with Chariots4Hope-WI, how have you seen the lack of reliable transportation quietly shape someone’s daily life?

Reliable transportation is the No. 3 priority for individuals, after food and shelter. Not having it negatively impacts the ability to accomplish routine things like going to the grocery store, getting to work, getting to medical appointments, or picking up kids. As a result, some things are simply left undone. It severely limits the ability to improve their position in life. It makes everything harder, if not impossible. This creates a tremendous amount of stress.

These are some of the unseen people in the community. The amount of effort it takes to accomplish simple tasks consumes all their energy and resources. Being involved with Chariots4Hope-WI has opened my eyes to how great the need is in our area. At the same time, it has provided a solution to directly address the need, one person at a time.

What are some parts of Chariots4Hope-WI’s work that people outside the organization might be surprised to learn about?

The greater part of Chariots4Hope-WI is that it provides a community of support and friendship for all walks of life — a network of diverse individuals who are all striving for a common cause. The vehicle is just the starting point. Then there is the growth that comes with being around people who are willing to share their experience about cars, or finances, or life in general, because they have been there. The mentorship that happens organically and intentionally cannot be captured in a headline. As each individual receives a car, they and their family expand and enrich the community.

As a leader, how do you ensure that respect and personal agency remain at the center of that work?

I believe it starts with offering a “hand up,” not a “handout.”  By addressing the immediate need — transportation — it provides a boost of independence, self-esteem and hope. From there, it is a step at a time: meeting them where they are and connecting them with people, opportunities or agencies that can encourage and continue to lift them up. The goal is that, at some point, they are able to turn and help lift up the next person.

Reprinted with permission from the La Crosse Tribune.