The Cars 4 Causes Blog.

Could you draw a picture of Your Favorite Way of Helping Others?

Kids can, and we’re asking elementary kids (grades one through five) to do just that for our Third Annual Kids Art Contest. You can be sure they’ll come up with some creative pictures. They always do. (Click here to see previous year’s winning pictures.)

Third grade winner of the Cars 4 Causes Kids Art Contest from last year - 2008

This being our third annual contest, we’ve learned that we can count on kids to show us the central value of donating to charities we care about, whether that contribution is time or money or a car donation.

Eligible Young Artists

Eligible for this year’s contest are selected schools in the North Oxnard School District, Oxnard, Calif. (all schools north of 5th Street). There will be five winners, one from every grade level. The prizes are generous: each will receive an art kit; their school will receive $1,000; and that student’s class will be able to designate $1,000 to any non-profit organization of their choice.

In case you’re wondering who’s going to pick the winners, our panel of judges this year comes from the City of Oxnard: Mayor Tom Holden, Fire Chief Joe Milligan, and Police Chief John Crombach.

Check back soon. We’ll announce the young winners and give you a peek at their winning art as well. Learn how to donate car today!

When the economy went into a dive last year, Brenda’s family finances hit the skids, too. She’s a feisty woman and not easily defeated. She had struggled through emotional and financial crises when serious childhood illnesses threatened both her daughter and younger son. And all survived.

Car donation recipient Brenda with Sister Mary

She lost her husband to cancer last year, though, and even while mourning her loss, still needed to get herself to the University of California Medical Center in Los Angeles for treatments for her own serious medical condition – a 60-plus-mile drive. Still, she was “OK,” she said. She was managing, even as the downturn in the economy slashed the value of her late husbands’ life insurance benefits.

Then the car began to give out.

In poor condition, it couldn’t be counted on to get her to UCLA. And, frankly, it wasn’t reliable in and around town either.

Abbess Victoria of the St. Barbara Monastery in Santa Paula, Calif. asked Cars 4 Causes if we could help. We could, and we did. That’s Brenda in the photo with Sister Mary of the St. Barbara Monastery.

Their smiles are genuine. The car was donated to Brenda and her family. Make a car donation today! Your donation will support people who need your help.

Most of the success stories we share with you are about the people who are helped by cars donated to Cars 4 Causes. And we have a lot of those that we’ll continue to share, but there’s the other side of the equation, too: the story of the car donation itself. We get some beautiful, high-end vehicles donated here at Cars 4 Causes. One of them recently became our favorite success story.

Sportsmobile donated to Cars 4 Causes

The donation was a top-of-the-line Sportsmobile – a 2005 Ford E350 Sportsmobile 4×4 6.0L Turbo Diesel, long body, Sportsmobile conversion. It was a beauty.

It was in great condition, had a pop-up camping shell, and slept 4 to 5 people. It was perfect for a variety of outdoor activities – think surfing, fishing, family camping, and you get the idea: a great vehicle for big groups and big trips. It ranked right up there with some of our most generous vehicle donation.

We don’t fall in love with the cars and trucks donated to Cars 4 Causes, though. We fall in love with the value donations bring to their charities.

This one, through some wise marketing by our team affiliates, sold for top dollar in last year’s tough car sales market. It became a solid tax write-off, a good deal for the buyer, and – most important – a generous and welcome donation to the donor’s chosen charity. (View a partial list at of charities at cars4causes.net.)