PROJECT JUMPSTART	RETURN TO PREVIOUS PAGE
3505 Veterans Memorial Highway, Suite M Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 (631) 648-7100

Program Description/Purpose: JUMPSTART will provide a limited number of Long Island low-income residents with used automobiles to enable them to maintain and improve employment. Recipients will be required to pay $50 per month for a period of two years, after which time they will own the vehicle. If you have been working a minimum of 30 hours per week for the past three months and are responsible for a minor child age 6 or over OR have been working 20 hours per week for the past three months and are responsible for a minor child under the age of 6, have a driver’s license, and make less than 200% of the federal poverty level, you may be eligible to receive an automobile at a reduced cost through a project in Nassau and Suffolk County

Program Impact: The Long Island region is densely populated (over 2.8 million people) characterized by areas of significant wealth and significant poverty. Public transportation has failed to keep up with the region’s growth, and the poor must depend on a bus system with limited hours and access, or on taxi cabs, for their transportation. Like many suburban areas, this region is made for cars, not for public transportation. Working with local car dealers, The JUMPSTART program has distributed over 365 vehicles.

Program Outcome: The high cost of living and poor public transportation services make it difficult for the poorest of Long Island residents to adequately meet the combined needs of employment and family care. In order to make ends meet, many must work two or three jobs, get children back and forth to day care, and handle all the demands of running a household. The high cost of housing makes it extremely difficult to save enough money to purchase a vehicle adequate to these tasks.

Funding: The Project JUMPSTART Program receives its funding through the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and The Patrina Foundation.