{"id":301568,"date":"2026-10-07T13:10:23","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T13:10:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/301568\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T13:10:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T13:10:23","slug":"kearns-hope-initiative-launch-erie-county-clerks-drive-to-success-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/301568\/","title":{"rendered":"Kearns, HOPE Initiative launch Erie County clerk’s ‘DRIVE to Success’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Erie<\/a><\/p>\n

Erie County Clerk Michael P. Kearns and Community Action Organization (CAO) of WNY announced the DRIVE to Success program. Pictured, from left: Madonna Bishop, deputy clerk- auto bureau operations; Dr. Melanie Porter, senior program director, HOPE Initiative\/CAO of WNY; Kearns; Jamelle Simmons, community outreach coordinator, Erie County Clerk’s Office; Dr. Marie Cannon, DSW, president and CEO of CAO of WNY. (Submitted)<\/p>\n

Tue, Oct 6th 2026 10:45 pm<\/p>\n

Program looks to provide barrier-free process to assist qualified teens & adults obtain NYS driver\u2019s license<\/p>\n

Submitted by Office of Erie County Clerk Michael P. Kearns\u00a0<\/p>\n

Erie County Clerk Michael P. Kearns and Community Action Organization (CAO) of WNY announced the DRIVE to Success program, directed by Madonna Bishop and Jamelle Simmons of the county clerk\u2019s office and CAO\u2019s HOPE Initiative, through the Erie County clerk\u2019s auto bureau division (DMV). This new initiative is designed to enhance client services and improve workforce development outcomes by removing barriers to obtaining a New York state driver\u2019s license for qualified individuals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis program is about more than just driving \u2013 it\u2019s about empowerment,\u201d Kearns said. \u201cBy providing access to identification and driver\u2019s education, we\u2019re opening doors to employment, independence, and long-term success, especially for our young adults.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through this partnership, Kearns and the HOPE Initiative will work together to create a seamless continuum of support for clients \u2013 helping them secure valid identification, access driver\u2019s education, and ultimately achieve independence through safe and legal driving.<\/p>\n

DRIVE aims to prepare 125 individuals to:<\/p>\n

\u2022Acquire their learner\u2019s permit<\/p>\n

\u2022Complete a certified driving course<\/p>\n

\u2022Successfully pass the New York state road test to obtain a driver\u2019s license<\/p>\n

With the DRIVE program structure:<\/p>\n

\u2022A HOPE Initiative life coach will identify eligible clients without valid identification, connect them with the DRIVE team, and coordinate with local driving schools to ensure enrollment, compliance, and successful program completion.<\/p>\n

\u2022The DRIVE program team will guide clients through the documentation process, track attendance and progress, coordinate road test scheduling, and maintain communication between clients and schools.<\/p>\n

\u2022The Erie County Auto Bureau (DMV) will collaborate with DRIVE to track client progress through the licensing process, while HOPE manages program funding and ensures compliance with invoicing and payment procedures.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The DRIVE program was introduced by Kearns to CAO earlier this year. The HOPE Initiative embeds the DRIVE into its programming for its participants and their families. It is a part of the funding of the Child Poverty Reduction Initiative grant from Erie County Department of Social Services. The grant will pay 100% of the cost for driver’s training and licensure.<\/p>\n

Both HOPE and DRIVE are committed to mutual accountability through scheduled meetings, shared tracking systems (where permitted), and consistent progress reporting. All client data will be safeguarded in compliance with state and federal privacy regulations.<\/p>\n

“The freedom and independence that comes with having your license empowers individuals to go and do more. It points individuals towards self-sufficiency,” said Dr. Melanie Porter, senior program director, Community Action Organization (CAO) of WNY.<\/p>\n

DRIVE reflects a shared commitment to building stronger communities by equipping individuals with the tools and support they need to thrive personally and professionally.<\/p>\n

Candidates interested in this transformative program can visit www.CAOWNY.org\/Hope<\/a> to complete the prescreening form and learn more about the program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Erie County Clerk Michael P. Kearns and Community Action Organization (CAO) of WNY announced the DRIVE to Success…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":301569,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[136,138,137],"class_list":["post-301568","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-erie","tag-erie","tag-erie-headlines","tag-erie-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/301568","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=301568"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/301568\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/301569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=301568"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=301568"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=301568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}