At Non‑Profit Wrench, our mission is born from a simple truth: when people’s basic mobility and home‑maintenance needs are unmet, the ripple effects reach far beyond one moment of inconvenience. A vehicle that won’t start, snow piled at the driveway, or a broken fixture in the home — these aren’t just errands left undone. For someone navigating tight finances, a disability, or unexpected hardship, these become barriers to security, independence, and dignity.

I’ve carried this conviction with me all my life. Whether it was volunteering for a food drive, preparing a warm meal, or quietly performing small daily acts of kindness — I discovered that helping others wasn’t just something I did. It became part of who I am. Despite my family’s well‑founded concerns — “Be careful helping someone by the side of the road,” “What if the person you help has bad intentions?” — I knew I couldn’t stop. My roots, living on the edge of what most consider stable, instilled in me a tenacity that said: if I see a need I can fill, I will.

From that place of conviction the idea of Non‑Profit Wrench took shape. I looked at the needs around me — in and near Rochester and Kasson, Minnesota — and I asked: “What am I good at? How can my strength meet real, pressing problems?” The answer: restoring mobility and stability. Vehicle maintenance. Snow removal. Home‑handy services for people living with disabilities or under economic strain. It’s not glamorous, but it’s exactly what stands between someone making it to work or missing a shift; between staying safely at home or being vulnerable to dangerous conditions.

Starting this organization from scratch wasn’t easy. I carried the cost of incorporation, consulted late into the night, pressed through board formation, insurance, tools, publicity — all while juggling family life. The debt on Day One didn’t scare me because the greater cost would’ve been doing nothing. The harder part hasn’t been the tools and tasks. It’s been raising awareness, building a network of supporters, finding the financial backbone so we can serve full‑time and launch a youth and job‑enrichment program on site. But week after week, regardless of funding, we’re out there helping people all across southeastern Minnesota because that is simply who we are.

Our purpose is rooted in heartfelt service — in giving people the chance to move forward, to feel steadier in their lives, to reclaim the dignity that comes when a vehicle works, a roof holds firm, the driveway is clear, a light fixture is fixed. We believe no one’s path forward should be hampered by things we can solve together. And we believe when you help someone stand on firmer ground, the impact extends far beyond that moment — it transforms a life, strengthens a community, restores hope.

If you’ve ever felt the joy of helping someone else, the quiet power of a kind gesture, you already know the world we’re building. At Non‑Profit Wrench, we’re committed to that world every single day.

If you like, I can also craft a shorter version for a website banner or an elevator‑pitch version for outreach materials. Would you like me to create those?