NKY man offers free car service to low-income families, earns national award for his work

Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer

A Northern Kentucky man won the 'Nobel Prize of community service' Wednesday.

Bruce Kintner of Cold Spring was selected as a 2024 National Jefferson Award winner for his dedication to providing free car maintenance to low-income families through the Samaritan Car Care Clinic.

The annual Jefferson Awards "have been the highest and most prestigious honor recognizing public service in the United States" for over 50 years, Multiplying Good, the organization behind the awards, wrote on their website. Past recipients at the national level include Oprah Winfrey, former President Jimmy Carter and Shaquille O'Neal.

Bruce Kintner of Cold Spring was selected as a 2024 National Jefferson Award winner for his dedication to providing free car maintenance to low-income families through the Samaritan Car Care Clinic.
Bruce Kintner of Cold Spring was selected as a 2024 National Jefferson Award winner for his dedication to providing free car maintenance to low-income families through the Samaritan Car Care Clinic.

There are 11 different categories of Jefferson Awards. Kintner received the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Service Benefitting Local Communities.

Each year, do-gooders in more than 90 cities in the United States receive a Jefferson award at the local level for their extraordinary work in their community. Five of these local winners are then chosen at the national level for the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Service Benefitting Local Communities.

"It's an incredibly humbling honor to be included with really neat nonprofits from across the country that do great work," Kintner said.

Kintner won the Jefferson Award at the local level in March 2023. The award is presented by the Cincinnati Rotary Club, who partners with The Enquirer Media and Local 12 WKRC-TV and the American Institute of Public Service to find and honor deserving individuals.

Why Greater Cincinnati needs the Samaritan Car Care Clinic

Kintner started the Samaritan Car Care Clinic in 2007 after a reverend at the Madison Avenue Christian Church told him low-income single mothers in their community needed help with car repairs. These car repairs were essential for mothers to work.

If your car isn't working, you can't show up to work and stay employed. If you aren't employed, you will struggle to support yourself and your family.

"After housing, access to affordable and reliable transportation is the single greatest key to those families becoming financially independent," Kintner said.

Jamie Harrison had four young children in car seats. Without the help of the Samaritan Car Care Clinic, she'd have to get her kids around in a wagon.
Jamie Harrison had four young children in car seats. Without the help of the Samaritan Car Care Clinic, she'd have to get her kids around in a wagon.

While various agencies in Greater Cincinnati are dedicated to supporting low-income women through help like housing opportunities, job training and child care, there was a need for transportation support.

NKY car care clinic expands its reach: 'Help us help the next single mom'

Kintner worked at PNC Bank full time, but he knew his way around a car. Despite being busy with his occupation, he had a deep desire to help people. He stepped up to the challenge.

The Samaritan Car Care Clinic finds women to assist through referrals from Northern Kentucky social service agencies. Each year, the clinic aims to help roughly 300 families have reliable transportation through complementary car repairs.

Shiba Shorter's car needed more than $4,000 worth of repairs. The Samaritan Car Care Clinic helped her get a van and put it in tiptop shape for her.
Shiba Shorter's car needed more than $4,000 worth of repairs. The Samaritan Car Care Clinic helped her get a van and put it in tiptop shape for her.

Of course, they wish they had the means to help even more.

"Demands far exceed our supply," Kintner said.

Kintner continues to apply for grants so the clinic has funding. He quit his senior-level job at PNC to become the nonprofit's full-time director, which was a contingency donors made to give funding.

He stays committed to this work and knows it's necessary. After all, the nonprofit tagline is "A car gets you far."

Service flourishes in the Greater Cincinnati Area

Kintner is the 10th recipient of the national Jefferson Award from Greater Cincinnati since the Rotary Club began nominating nonprofits and their founders 19 years ago.

"We have so much outstanding service in our Cincinnati community," said Bill Shula, chair of the Jefferson Award committee for the Rotary Club of Cincinnati. "Every single year, I learn more."

More: Found Village CEO Katie Nzekwu receives national Jefferson Award for local public service

The most recent winner was Katie Nzekwu, CEO and co-founder of Found Village, who won the national Jefferson Award in 2021.

Found Village is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit dedicated to helping foster-care teens, young people emancipated from foster care with no family or support, teenagers living in single-parent homes and other teenagers facing difficult life circumstances.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Creator of Samaritan Car Care Clinic wins national Jefferson Award

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