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Love Inc. reports diaper distribution and car-repair grants; county considers funding options to sustain programs
Summary
Love Inc. told Carver County commissioners that a diaper-and-wipes grant could be depleted in early 2026 and that a $200,000 car-repair assistance program served about 99 recipients in seven months; commissioners discussed possible budgets and partnerships to continue services.
Love Inc. representatives updated the Carver County Board at a work session on two community support programs the nonprofit runs with county pandemic-recovery funds: a diaper-and-wipes distribution and a car-repair assistance program intended to help residents remain employed and housed.
"The grant ... would be depleted early in 2026," said Al Norby, Love Inc. board member and presenter, referring to the diaper-and-wipes funding; he said the amount was roughly $100,000. Norby described expanding reach into rural parts of Carver County and said the diaper ministry helps free up household funds for other essentials.
Love Inc. also reported on a car-repair assistance program (referred to in the presentation as CRAIG) run in partnership with Christian Brothers Automotive in Chanhassen. The program limited awards to safety-related repairs, capped grants at about $2,000 plus tow support in some cases, required applicants to be Carver County residents and insured drivers, and asked recipients to contribute toward repairs. Love Inc. staff said the program used $200,000 in grant funding and processed roughly 167 applications, with about 99 completed repairs and 25 vehicles deemed beyond repair.
"We have not had 1 CRAIG recipient return to our shop after we've done repairs," said Mark Manzimmer, owner of the Christian Brothers Automotive franchise involved in the program, describing follow-up results from his shop.
Love Inc. presented survey results that showed recipients reported reduced stress and increased ability to access work and essentials when repairs were completed; staff said 96% of survey respondents reported they faced high stress without repairs and 76% reported the repairs helped avoid income loss. Staff also said Christian Brothers provided in-kind or discounted services in some cases and that mechanics worked to diagnose safety-and-reliability issues transparently for clients.
Norby outlined details on the diaper program: Love Inc. began invoicing in 2023, saw an uptick in need in late 2024 and has expanded a diaper ministry in Western Carver County and plans outreach into Norwood Young America and other rural areas. He illustrated household impact by noting that diapers cost roughly $3 each and that increased diaper demand can quickly strain a young parent's budget.
Board members asked how to sustain the car-repair effort. Commissioner Hooterman and others urged staff to develop a budget and a plan for ongoing funding and partnership contributions. County health-and-human-services staff said workforce programs already have some support-service funding that can be used for transportation-related needs and said they would include the car-repair conversation in broader transportation planning tied to public-transit and workforce-access strategies.
Commissioners and Love Inc. representatives discussed next steps including preparing a 30-day budget proposal and exploring community partners such as local civic groups and businesses to help underwrite a multi-year program. Love Inc. and county staff agreed to investigate funding options and to consider embedding car-repair assistance in a broader transportation-for-work approach.
Less-critical details: Love Inc. highlighted volunteer and church-network involvement, and Love Inc. personnel shared client stories illustrating the programs' effects on household stability.
