That explains the lack of personal transportation, but NYC also has opportunities for service orientation activities that I'm sure you can get to without a car. I'm guessing you would want to apply within the metro area so you don't have to get a car to get around as you would in many other locations. So you need to show you know what the other millions of people in NYC want help with when it comes to social determinants of health.
You NNES household explains your low CARS score, but your grades in reading-intensive non-science coursework tell a different story in that you can hold your own in humanities or social science coursework that you will ultimately need for medical school.
Does having parents with grad degrees earned in the US (?) also have anything to do with your perspective on Ph.D's, by chance?