Case Study

The Lift Garage called on ArcStone to create a website to better serve their dual mission of automotive repair and community support.

The Lift Garage's new website on monitor screen.

The Lift Garage is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 by Cathy Heying in Minneapolis. Heying, who has backgrounds in social work and pastoral ministry, earned an automotive technology degree from Dunwoody College after recognizing the critical role car repairs played in either moving people out of poverty or deeper into it.

The organization serves Minnesotans whose income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline, operating from their location on Lake Street. They charge $25 per hour for labor and sell parts at a 7.5% markup, making repairs typically cost about half of what they would at traditional shops.

Our Role

Platform Migration (Kukui CMS to WordPress)
Nonprofit-Focused Website Development
Donation Integration (Bloomerang)
Appointment Scheduling (Acuity Integration)
SEO Foundation Implementation
Accessibility Best Practices
Staff Training & Support

The Challenge:

The Lift Garage was operating on Kukui CMS, a platform designed specifically for traditional auto shops that didn’t meet the needs of their nonprofit organization. The existing system was difficult to update, lacked flexibility for promoting community programs and accepting donations, offered poor accessibility, and had no SEO strategy. The organization needed a platform that could serve both automotive customers and support their broader community mission.

Our Approach

ArcStone led a complete migration from Kukui to WordPress, beginning with comprehensive sitemap development and wireframing to create clear user pathways for both automotive customers and community program participants. Our UX/UI redesign balanced automotive service information with community program promotion, ensuring the platform could effectively communicate both aspects of their mission.

We implemented strategic plugin integrations including Bloomerang for donation processing and Acuity Scheduling to accommodate their diverse service offerings—from standard appointments to mobile van inspections and Friday Express Lane services. SEO fundamentals were established across ten key pages to improve visibility for both automotive searches and community support inquiries.

The comprehensive approach included content migration support, accessibility best practices implementation, and thorough WordPress training to ensure staff could independently manage updates. We established the foundation for future multilingual content expansion and recommended The Events Calendar for community event promotion, supporting long-term sustainability and growth.

Lift Garage's new website's appointment section

Life Garage's new website's donation page

Reviewing The Results

The Lift Garage now operates a flexible WordPress platform that authentically represents their innovative approach to automotive services and community building. The modern website improves the donation experience, simplifies appointment scheduling, and provides the foundation for multilingual content and potential future e-commerce capabilities. Staff can now independently manage and update their site, supporting long-term sustainability while better serving both automotive customers and community program participants.