Christmas comes early for single mom, family gifted refurbished car

A single mother of two from St. Lawrence got an early Christmas present when her 15-year-old vehicle was replaced with a refurbished car.

It is a Christmas miracle it's a Christmas wish come true.- Lisa Giovannini

Lisa Giovannini was handed the keys to a 2014 Kia Rio this weekafter being selected for theCollision Clinic's Enriching Lives program, a gift she said will make a world of difference to her family.

"Finally to have a break and to have something given to me, it's just this amazing feeling," said Giovannini.

"It is a Christmas miracle it's a Christmas wish come true, and you know, my son actually said, 'Mom, I think this is Santa Claus doing his work, you know', and I do you gotta believe, you gotta keep believing."

Giovannini's 2000 Suzuki XL7 has ben sittingin a garage for almost seven months, and multiplemechanics have not been able to fix it.

It was a repair game that Giovannini said she couldn't afford to keep playing.

"They don't know what's wrong with it. It's just puffing out black smoke, it won't start," she said. "Soin the last year I probably used it maybe two months."

Giovannini said she's had to rely on friends and relatives to drive her family everywhere the familyneeded to go.

Smile on her kids' faces

She said she is so grateful for everyone's support and is thankful a friend suggested she apply for the Collision Clinic's Enriching Lives program.

For 12years,Collision Clinic and its bodyshop technicians have volunteeredhours of their time to repair a vehicle and give it to a family who desperately needs one, but can't afford it.

There's nothing holding us back now.- Lisa Giovannini

A committee for Collision Clinic selectedGiovanninifrom a list of about three dozen applicants.

"Single parents know how difficult and challenging it can be to raise children on your own it's the most important role that I have in my life," Giovannini told CBC News.

She will be heading back to school in September to finish a teaching degreewith one less worry on her mind.

"The smile on [my] kids' faces that we have our own vehicle, it's safe, it's reliable, I don't have to worry about how I'm going to get somewhere, we can go," said Giovannini.

"There's nothing holding us back now."