St. Louis nonprofit helps immigrants get driver’s licenses, donated vehicles

By First 4 Alert

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) -A St. Louis nonprofit is covering the cost of driving school for immigrants and connecting them with donated vehicles. The organization’s efforts are helping remove one of the most common barriers to employment and daily life for newly arrived refugees.

Welcome Neighbor STL has helped 50 immigrants obtain driver’s licenses through its driving program and has given away 83 donated vehicles since 2022.

South Sudan refugee passes driving test

Iyman James, a refugee from South Sudan, passed his driving test Monday and received a donated minivan through the program. James said his family fled South Sudan due to war, then spent ten years in refugee camps in Uganda before all nine family members resettled in St. Louis last year.

As head of the household, James works but previously had no vehicle to take the children to the doctor or go grocery shopping. He said he would leave his home an hour and a half before his job started each day to take public transportation and ensure he arrived on time.

With a license and vehicle now secured, James said the car “is going to help my family a lot.”

Grant targets barriers for immigrant women

Welcome Neighbor STL recently received a grant from the St. Louis Port Authority focused on helping immigrant women access transportation. Read more here.