Jumpstart Automotive
Vehicle for Change
Jumpstart Automotive is one of Atlanta’s most innovative workforce development organizations—they provide free, hands-on mechanical training and help young people secure careers in the automotive industry. As Executive Director and Founder of the organization, Larry Witherspoon’s favorite moments are at its graduation ceremonies, when students look back and realize how far they’ve come. "You can see the lightbulbs come on," he says. "They start to feel confident about themselves."
Larry’s journey to founding Jumpstart followed a winding road. The son of a high school teacher, he earned a football scholarship to college but left to join the U.S. Navy. While there, he maintained critical submarine systems and gained a profound understanding of leadership, discipline, and the impact of taking responsibility for something larger than himself.
After his military service, Larry returned to college to earn his degree and built a successful corporate career before switching gears to work in community development. He quickly noticed a troubling pattern: many of the young people he worked with seemed trapped in a cycle of incarceration, unemployment, and instability while trying to support themselves and their families.
What if there was another path? What if young adults could learn a trade and earn an income at the same time? In 2013—with a $5,000 grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a trailer full of tools, and an unwavering belief in young people—Jumpstart Automotive was born.
Today, that small experiment has grown into a bustling auto shop and thriving workforce development program. Jumpstart doesn't operate like a traditional technical school or a simple auto repair shop. Instead, it operates through an apprenticeship model that gives students hands-on experience working on real customer vehicles.
"You can't separate the business from the school," Larry explains. "The work itself is the training."
That technical training is just one part of Jumpstart Automotive’s program. Many students face obstacles beyond the classroom or shop floor, especially those who have been incarcerated or are experiencing homelessness. Transportation challenges, food insecurity, housing instability, and financial hardship can derail even the most motivated individual. The organization invests in wraparound support services that help students stay focused on their goals. Every student receives a meal each day. Through partnerships, students receive assistance with transportation, phone bills, rent, food, and other basic needs.
While automotive repair serves as the vehicle for change, Larry believes the lessons students learn extend far beyond the shop. The results speak for themselves: since its founding, Jumpstart has served more than 300 students, helping 95% of graduates secure entry-level employment in the automotive industry. Demand continues to grow. A yearlong student waitlist inspired the organization’s fundraising campaign, Powering Change.
For Larry, the mission has never been about fixing cars. It's about helping people realize they can fix their futures. One student at a time, Jumpstart Automotive is proving just how powerful that realization can be.
"There is no blueprint for what we're doing,” Larry says. “But we know it works."
Coxe Curry & Associates partnered with Jumpstart Automotive on the Powering Change campaign. Completed in 2026, the campaign built the organization’s new permanent home at 3955 Moreland Avenue, which is three times larger than their former facility. This is an exciting milestone that will more than double the number of students they serve. Learn more about Jumpstart Automotive at jumpstartautomotive.org.
Photo courtesy of Regions Bank.