Environmental Initiative Partners with Cars for Neighbors
Building the partnerships needed to address complex environmental problems is the priority and mission of Environmental Initiative (EI). EI has a range of capabilities to address environmental issues – meeting their partners where it is needed most.
Cars For Neighbors (CFN) has partnered with Environmental Initiative through Project Clean Air Repair (Project CAR). Project CAR provides funding to upgrade the emissions systems in older passenger vehicles, therefore, reducing harmful emissions released into the air. CFN uses Project CAR funding to complete upgrades/repairs in the vehicles of our clients: lower-income Anoka County residents.
The Environmental Initiative estimates that 25% of passenger vehicles cause 90% of vehicle air pollution. This occurs because most older vehicles have outdated or broken emission controls and exhaust equipment. By partnering with Environmental Initiative, CFN can provide repairs to broken emissions systems while reducing barriers to reliable transportation in Anoka County. Eligible repairs are made to these four components of the Emissions systems: catalytic converters, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves, oxygen sensors, and evaporative emission control systems.
CFN is proud of the work we have accomplished through Project CAR. Since March 2020, we have completed upgrades and repairs on over 130 passenger vehicles in Anoka County, which has reduced over 6 tons of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrous oxide emissions from the air and environment.

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Check out The Ripple of Cars, a short documentary film that explores the interconnectedness of cars, clean air, and economic opportunities for communities. This film highlights the collaborative relationship between Environmental Initiative and Cars for Neighbors. It was created by BairStories and released in November 2022.
Click on and read the EI and CFN collaborative Blog Posts below:
- Cars: A critical need that many take for granted – published September 2020
- Cars for Neighbors completes 100 Repairs through Project CAR – published June 2022
- Reducing Vehicle Emissions at No Cost to Residents – published December 2022