Kelowna, B.C., woman given the gift of a fresh start and a set of wheels

Jordan Lucas received a life-changing Christmas gift.

Lucas is a survivor. She used to call Kelowna’s streets home, battled addiction and suffers from PTSD, but now she is two years sober and rebuilding her life.

“This car is like a new beginning. It’s going to be able to help me with my job, to get my daughter to daycare and to have access to my other daughter. It’s proof to know that I have come this far,” said Lucas.

Lucas and one-year-old Khalli have been living in one of the homes run by the Karis Support Society that helps women in need of long term recovery. She has been working part-time and takes Khalli to daycare on the bus, where she spends most of her day.

“I was getting up 5:30 a.m. and usually rushing because I had to get the bus,” said Lucas.  “Then I had to ride the bus an hour to daycare and an hour to get home then usually I would have to get a cab or a ride to work because I wouldn’t make it on time.”

The hours in the morning she spent communting she can now spend with her daughter.

“Jordan we have been walking with over the last 12 years. We met her on the streets on Leon,” said Angie Lohr, H.O.P.E Outreach executive director.

“She is living at Karis Society right now and she is looking to take that next move this year so this car is just a gift out of the blue that I didn’t expect.”

The life-changing set of wheels is a donation from NOX Automotive in West Kelowna.

“It’s one of those things that people don’t realize how much you need a car until you don’t have that,” said Jeff Sherman, NOX Automotive owner. “Today we are giving her a step up and we are happy to do it.”

Sherman and his team fixed up the 2006 Volkswagon Jetta with the help of Auction World in Kelowna, Worldpac and Auto-Camping Autoparts, Crystal Glass in Kelowna and they even filled the trunk with wrapped Christmas gifts.