Meet the Board Chair- Eric Andrews

Eric Andrews has been a guiding force at Vehicles for Change for over two decades, helping to shape the organization into what it is today. His journey began in the early 2000s when he first encountered the organization while working as an attorney in Washington, D.C.

At the time, Vehicles for Change was small, but its mission immediately resonated with Eric. He was drawn to the idea of giving people not just charity, but the tools they needed to change their lives—tools that would have a lasting impact on families and entire communities.

It didn’t take long for Eric to become deeply invested in the cause. By 2005, he was working with the organization providing legal counsel on a pro bono basis, and by 2016, he took a seat on the Board culminating with him becoming Board Chair in 2021. Over the years, Eric has witnessed the positive effect Vehicles for Change has had on people’s lives, particularly in the way it helps break the cycle of generational poverty.

“Vehicles for Change means opportunity to me,” Eric says. “It’s about giving people the tools to lift up themselves and their families. It’s not a charity; it’s a vehicle for improvement. We’re not just putting a band-aid on a wound; we’re addressing the root causes of poverty.”

One of Eric’s most memorable moments came years ago during a meeting with a hotel manager who shared a powerful story about how transportation affects people’s lives. The manager explained that several of his employees were truly deserving of promotions to night shift manager but lacked reliable transportation to get to work during off hours. The thought that someone could miss out on a career opportunity with higher salary and benefits that could transform their entire family simply because they didn’t have access to dependable transportation left a lasting impression on Eric, strengthening his commitment to the mission of Vehicles for Change.

But it’s not just the larger stories that keep Eric coming back—it’s the personal moments that reveal the true impact of the organization. He recalls seeing a woman receive a car from VFC. She was overwhelmed and kept mentioning the freedom that the car afforded her.  Freedom to take her aging mother to doctor visits, freedom to take her son to practice, freedom to go to the grocery store when it was convenient for her not just when the bus schedule allowed.  All freedoms that most of us take for granted. The revelation that Vehicles for Change not only provides opportunity but also freedom and the dignity that comes along with reliable transportation that you control, is something that continues to motivate Eric.

As Eric continues in his role as Board Chair, he’s particularly excited about the future of Vehicles for Change. He thinks that the growth of the training program fits perfectly within the larger mission of providing opportunity, dignity and freedom for returning citizens and the virtual reality program combines our powerful mission with game changing technology which promises to unlock a true second chance for individuals with the ambition and energy to seize it.

When Eric reflects on his time with Vehicles for Change, he’s grateful for the chance to be part of something that has such a profound effect on people’s lives. “Vehicles for Change’s impact is not abstract or theoretical, we are making real and lasting impact on people’s lives and that has a ripple effect through their families and communities.  What could be better than that?”.

And as for his first car? It was an old Pontiac Firebird, a hand me down from his sister, which Eric worked hard to pay off over time. That car allowed him to get to his after-school jobs and marked the beginning of his own journey toward independence. Just like the cars Vehicles for Change provides to its recipients, that Firebird gave Eric the freedom to pursue his dreams—and now, as Board Chair, he’s helping others do the same.