MotorGospel Ministries Brings After School Auto Shop Club to LAPD Rampart Division


5-Time Champion Aaron Schwartzbart

Schwartzbart is quick to credit visionary Sergeant Marcela Garcia of LAPD Rampart Division and her Captain, Al Lopez for their willingness to try innovative programs…

MotorGospel Ministries is pleased to announce the latest milestone in their endeavor to see young people make it to adulthood without killing themselves or anybody else behind the wheel. Based on the success of the After School Auto Shop Club that they offer at the Granada Hills-based MotorGospel Youth Center, they are innovating a mobile version of the program where students can get hands-on with MotorGospel Ministries’ race cars at police stations throughout Los Angeles. The successful program has had robust support from LA City Councilmember John Lee, La Mirada Mayor John Lewis and has been featured in multiple media outlets including Fox 11, CBS, ABC, Spectrum One, and Sky News.

If prior experience is any indicator, some of the youth in the program will demonstrate passion, commitment and tenacity that will earn them a fast track into employment opportunities at the likes of Galpin Ford and educational opportunities in the Cal State University Northridge (CSUN) Mechanical Engineering program. One of the distinctives of the CSUN major is Formula SAE racing; a national race series among collegiate engineering students.

Aaron Schwartzbart, President and Pastor of MotorGospel Ministries left the space program after 28 years as a rocket scientist to devote full time to the ministry. With degrees in physics and theology, he is a 5-time champion race car driver and an ordained minister. Schwartzbart is quick to credit visionary Sergeant Marcela Garcia of LAPD Rampart Division and her Captain, Al Lopez for their willingness to try innovative programs designed to both discourage illegal street racing and encourage legitimate vocational opportunities within professional motorsports. Schwartzbart and the cadre of motorsports professionals supporting his program are volunteering their time so the mobile version of the auto shop club can be offered at neither cost to the taxpayers, the LAPD nor the cadets.

For more information, contact Officer Larry Covington at 31347@lapd.online, 213-484-3072 or Tere Schwartzbart at motorgospel@gmail.com, 818.620.7132.

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