Helping people move toward economic self sufficiency.
A car takes you far!
Who We Help
The Samaritan Car Care Clinic works on a referral basis with Northern Kentucky social service agencies to help low-income families in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties with car repairs. Repairs are done using a shared-cost model with the goal of helping the families get to their jobs and stay on the path to self-sufficiency.
What We Do
-
Change engine oil
-
Replace air filters
-
Replace wiper blades
-
Replace bulbs
-
Top-off fluids
-
Inflate tires
-
General car repairs
- (when funding is available)
Who We Are
The Samaritan Car Care Clinic offers a lifeline to working poor families in Northern Kentucky. Our services enable these families to maintain their cars, allowing them to access jobs and transport family members to school and health care appointments.
“This is a great service. It is different than what others provide. Others do the normal services like food, but changing my oil is so great because my car is important to me. If I can’t get to my job, I can’t pay my bills.”
– Samaritan Car Care Clinic Participant
Thank you to…
Referral Partners
Financial Sponsors
The Samaritan Car Care Clinic has partnered with the Auto Technology Program at Gateway Community & Technical College in Northern Kentucky. The main goal of this partnership was to offer shared cost car repair and maintenance services for low-income families so they could keep getting to their jobs or finish job training programs. The second goal was to help a young student who aspires to be an auto technician and wants to learn by doing, but who doesn't have her or his own tools that are required to work at a conventional repair shop or auto dealership.
Many people don't know that repair shops and dealerships don't provide tools. Most technicians have invested $15,000 or more in hand, power, and diagnostic tools and each tool is critical to do their job.
The Clinic succeeded in getting some grants to buy tools to have for co-op students. We opened in 2023 with two Gateway students working with Clinic training and maintenance director Jim Dennis. We currently have two students learning by doing at the Clinic while they are going through school at Gateway: José Frias and Jacob Wilhelm. Our ability to do the volume of repair work we do (389 families helped in 2025; 90 in first quarter 2026) is because of their desire to learn and help.
The hands-on learning offered by the partnership is a big advantage for the co-op students. In their own words, they have learned so much more than their peer students because of being able to work at a repair shop instead of a restaurant or grocery store. In addition, when a Gateway co-op student finishes the degree program, then works with the Clinic full-time one more year to gain even more experience, we will provide that student with a starter set of mechanic grade tools.
Thank you for your support. Your donations help make the repairs we do and the student co-op program possible!
#SCCC #SamaritanCarCareClinic #NKY ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
The SCCC book bay is a place where clients' kids can relax with a book while we work on their vehicles. Our dedicated bookshelf continues to grow. Thank you to our Clinic supporters who continue to donate books for the children!
#SCCC #SamaritanCarCareClinic #NKY ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Valvoline Global continues to be a wonderful in-kind donation supporter of the Samaritan Car Care Clinic. On May 1, 2026, Valvoline donated a pallet of motor oil to the Clinic. The photo is of Ryan Schultz helping with the pallet.
What a wonderful gift that helps the Clinic stretch financial donations to cover parts and labor for repairs. In addition to regular oil changes for low-income families referred to the Clinic for help throughout the week, one Saturday each month volunteers lead oil change events at the Clinic. That means the Clinic goes through a lot of oil!
Thank you, Valvoline, for your support!
#sccc #samaritancarcareclinic #NKY #Valvoline ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Single mom Kara M.’s existing car had major mechanical problems. She worked with St. Vincent de Paul - Northern Kentucky and qualified for a microloan to buy a Chevrolet Colorado that had been donated to SVdPNKY. The Colorado definitely had life left, but had a lot of deferred maintenance that needed to be done. Kara has one child, in the photo with her, so the smaller cab area of the Colorado easily accommodates her family.
SVdPNKY and other referral partners ask several times each month if the Clinic has any inventory. Please keep us in mind for vehicle donations!
#SCCC #SamaritanCarCareClinic #NKY #SVdPNKY ... See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Oh sweet Karbear!!! I hope that vehicle takes care of you and your family!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Wish I could get a car as well my car broke down now I have nothing
This Mother's Day, give a working mom in Northern Kentucky the one thing she really needs right now - a reliable way to get to work. Be the reason a mom makes it to work tomorrow.
No car to give? A cash donation funds the next repair, the next placement, the next family.
#SCCC #SamaritanCarCareClinic #NKY ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Amy V. is a Gateway student and single mom with 3 children. Amy desperately needed safe and reliable transportation for herself and her children. Fortunately, the Clinic received a donated Toyota Sienna van that was perfect for Amy’s needs. The van had quite a bit of deferred maintenance that needed to be addressed, but the body, engine, and transmission were in very good shape.
How wonderful that the Clinic had the van when a request came in for a single mom needing help transporting multiple children!
#SCCC #SamaritanCarCareClinic #NKY ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Samaritan Car Care Clinic was founded in 2007 with a simple idea:
provide free oil changes to single moms in Northern Kentucky who had cars but couldn't afford to keep them running.
Nineteen years later, we have a three-bay shop in Covington, 12+ referral partners across NKY, and a donated vehicle program that puts working mothers behind the wheel when their car gives out and they have nowhere else to turn.
Single moms are still at the heart of our mission.
Donate a car. Cover a brake job. Refer a family.
There's a role for everyone in this work.
samaritancarcare.org | 859-525-6240
#SCCC #SingleMoms #NKY #SamaritanCarCareClinic #CarDonation #NorthernKentucky #GiveLocal #WorkingMoms ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Earlier this year, Life Learning Center - Northern Kentucky nominated graduate and member in good standing Zack S. to St. Vincent de Paul - Northern Kentucky for consideration of a microloan to buy a refurbished vehicle from the Samaritan Car Care Clinic. Zack works as a machine operator for a manufacturer located close to Hebron. Zack was working second shift and did not have a working vehicle. This caused him to spend close to 2 ½ hours each day commuting to work and back from his home in Covington because of having to wait for the more infrequent bus runs late at night. Plus, Zack was trying to care for a grandfather as well.
Zack qualified for a SVdPNKY microloan, and fortunately, earlier this year, the Clinic received a donated Chevrolet Equinox that was in very good shape. After doing some repairs and maintenance at the Clinic, student volunteers from the Covington Boys and Girls club even helped wash and wax the Equinox that ended up with Zack.
Zack expressed his incredible thanks for Life Learning Center connecting him with SVdPNKY and the Clinic.
#sccc #samaritancarcareclinic #NKY #SVdPNKY #lifelearningcenter ... See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Want to help a family in need in Northern Kentucky? The answer could be parked in your driveway.
Not ready to donate a car? A cash gift makes the same kind of local impact.
#sccc #samaritancarcareclinic #NKY ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook