Help Us Get Tim Back on the Road

Our dear friend and co-worker Tim is in urgent need of reliable transportation. Tim is 78 years old and hasn’t had a working vehicle for several months. Until this spring, he was driving an old Ford Windstar—barely functional, with no power steering, no air conditioning, and no heat. I rode with him once, and to be honest, it was a little nerve-wracking.

When the van finally broke down, Tim scraped together enough money to take it to a mechanic. They replaced the starter, but the vehicle died again shortly after. It turns out the van has far more issues than just the starter. Since then, it’s been sitting outside the warehouse where Tim lives in downtown Wichita. A few weeks ago, it was broken into. At this point, the van simply isn’t worth fixing.

We’ve tried reaching out to people to see if anyone could repair it, but the cost just doesn’t make sense anymore.

Without a vehicle, Tim has been relying on the city bus to get to work. In the beginning, some of us gave him rides, but he quickly felt like he was imposing and started taking the bus full-time. On Sundays, when the bus doesn’t run, Tim walks—eight miles to work and eight miles back—through downtown Wichita.

A few weeks ago, he went out to dinner near Ridge Road and Kellogg, missed the last bus at 7 p.m., and ended up walking 11 miles home. He didn’t get back until 1 a.m. And even on regular days, the nearest bus stop is about half a mile from both his workplace and his home, adding even more to his daily trek.

Why We’re Asking for Help

Tim is the kind of person who never asks for anything. He doesn’t know we’re doing this. But we’re deeply concerned for his health and safety—especially with winter approaching. Downtown Wichita isn’t the safest place for anyone to be walking, day or night, let alone a 78-year-old man.

Tim has always been the first to lend a hand to someone in need. Now it’s our turn to do something for him. We’re hoping to raise enough money to get him a reliable vehicle—ideally a small minivan or something he can use to carry his work supplies.

Every little bit helps. Let’s get Tim back on the road and off the bus.