I used to interview and hire people when I was a manager in retail. I hired a really cool black dude with dreadlocks and gang tats all over him. I didn't give a shit, he seemed really eager to work in the interview and I just liked his personality. He turned out to be THE hardest working motherfucker I've ever had the pleasure of working with. He did three times the amount of work than anybody else, and never complained.
It wasn't until several months later that I learned he didn't have a vehicle. He lived roughly 11 miles from our store, deep in the heart of a housing project. His neighbors were quite surprised when a clean looking white kid (me) was driving him home after work. He worked the 4 am truck shifts some days, meaning he was having to walk to work in the cold, rain, whatever.
When I found this out, I had to do something about it. I wasn't going to let a kid this good have to endure that any longer. I worked out a deal with him where I bought him a vehicle. He agreed to pay me back in monthly payments. I didn't charge him interest, I just wanted to do a good thing for a guy I highly respected. I cared more about what this guy thought than what my shithead bosses/managers thought.
I got him a cheap sedan, about 100k miles on it. I paid around $5,000 for it. Never once regretted my decision. For all I know, I broke several rules at my company, I don't really know. I also never gave a shit, he deserved it. He's never been late on a single payment, and even though we live in different states now, we still talk all the time.
Just goes to show you looks really don't matter. It's what's in a man's heart that count.