She opened a car repair shop to help those with limited incomes

Cathy Heying never intended to work at an auto repair garage. But she runs one tucked behind Dan’s Nicollet Car Wash in Minneapolis.

And it’s not just any auto shop.

Granted, The Lift Garage may sound pretty typical: As cars are waved in and go up on lifts, staff members in maroon polo shirts file paperwork and assist customers in a room that serves both as a front office and waiting area. A few toys sit on a shelf to help keep children who are accompanying their parents occupied.

But The Lift has an unusual mission. It’s a nonprofit that aims to ease car troubles for low-income people.

Almost any driver, regardless of income level, can recall a car repair that squeezed his or her wallet. But for low-income individuals, such a repair can be devastating.