Daniel Lacy is passionate about automobiles. He has done everything from auto marketing and sales to being a pit lane official to being a traveling chaplain to race car drivers. His current endeavor is training people to work in the auto industry.
Daniel is the founder and executive director of Bob’s Auto Café in Tualatin, a non-profit organization whose mission is “to train people seeking employment in the automotive field and to provide reduced cost automotive services to those with validated needs.” He started the company because of a belief that too many people are leaving the skilled trades and not everyone has the interest or ability to pursue a college degree. He is also concerned that many people come out of college saddled with a huge amount of debt they struggle to repay.
Bob’s Auto Café opened early in 2016 by re-training National Guard retirees. The organization also gets referrals from schools and churches. Men and women enrolled in the two-year training program earn an ASE Certification that can be used to gain employment in an auto shop or car dealership. They receive FREE Classroom and Shop Training, Real Work Experience, Life Coaching and Soft Skill Set Teaching, and Job Placement Assistance. In addition, the Café partners with social service agencies to provide car care for low income folks. A recent study in the state of Minnesota indicates that the greatest barrier to employment for low-income people is a lack of transportation.
Fund raising is one of Daniel Lacy’s main tasks. Bob’s Auto Café accepts monetary donations as well as donations of automobiles. The cars that are donated are repaired and sold and the proceeds are used to help support the Auto Café. For more information, visit www.bobsautocafe.com.