The Cars 4 Causes Blog. Car Donation Program Nationwide.

Donating a car is a big step for most car donors, especially if you have not donated any vehicle previously. So, we do our best to answer lots of questions right here on our Website and to give you lots of information about Cars 4 Causes®, The Charity That Gives To Charities (R).

Regardless of how much we can tell you on a website, though, we know that often you’ll feel better informed if you can talk to someone who knows the vehicle donation process and who can guide you through it.

We have a knowledgeable staff on hand for just that purpose. You can call them at 800-766-2273 with your questions.  You can also initiate the process via our website, and then we’ll have someone call you to complete the process.

Overview of the Car Donation Process

Step One:  Submit a Vehicle Donation Form
Submit a vehicle donation form via our Website or contact us at 800-766-CARE (2273). At this point, you provide general information on the vehicle you wish to donate and select the charity organization you wish to benefit. (We accept most intact vehicles, whether they are running or not. No smog certificate is required.)

Step Two: Schedule a no-cost to the donor pick-up
Once you donate your car and it is accepted, one of our tow companies will pick up the vehicle at no cost to you (the donor), or you may drop off the vehicle at one of our car donation center lot locations.

Step Three: Cars 4 Causes® Sells your donated vehicle
The donated vehicle will be sold once we have a clear transferable title. A written acknowledgment will then be sent to you (the donor) for your contribution. You’ll keep this paperwork for your taxes. You’ll find more information on tax write-offs on our FAQ page.

Your Donation Makes a Difference

Whether your car donation is an old clunker or a newer vehicle, a boat, RV or other vehicle, donating it to charity helps those in need. So, please browse our website and get to know us, see our FAQs for answers to common questions, and call us at 800-766-2273.  We’re here to answer your questions.

Tags: Car Donation, car donations, Cars 4 Causes®, choosing a vehicle donation program, donated cars, donating a car, Tax deduction, Tax writeoff

Fall is in the air. The wind is blowing today and the temperatures dropping. The weather is telling us that it’s autumn and we’re entering the fourth quarter of the year, which here at Cars 4 Causes® is one of our busiest times. This is the time of year when many owners think about donating their vehicles to meet end-of-year tax deduction deadlines. And it’s a time of year when donations to charities are on peoples’ minds even more than usual.

Getting Your Tax Deduction

If you’re considering donating a car to charity, please check out our FAQ’s for insight into the donation process. This year is an especially good year to donate for many of us. See our July blog explaining additional 2009 tax incentives.

You’ll find our general explanation of tax deductions in our FAQs. In brief, it says:

Donations to a non-profit organization or charity that is classified under 501(c)[3] are often tax deductible. Cars 4 Causes® is a 501(c)[3] and therefore donations made to us may be utilized as a tax write-off, allowing you a car donation tax break. (Everyone’s tax situation is different, so we do advise you to consult with your tax professional to determine tax benefits from your car donation.)

The best and most compact resource we’ve found to describe the rules around car donation tax write-offs is A Donor’s Guide to Vehicle Donations. It’s a 16-page brochure and is downloadable. We recommend it as an excellent resource because it comes straight from the source: the IRS.

We’re also here as a resource for you, available toll-free by phone at 800-766-2273 and by online chat. We’re always happy to share our expertise.  As The Charity That Gives To Charities®, we make it easy for you to choose a charity to benefit from your generous donation. If you’re thinking of making a vehicle donation, call now. Get your tax deduction and make your charity donation, too.

Tags: Car Donation, Cars 4 Causes®, donated car, IRS, Tax deduction, Tax write-off, Tax writeoff

Wondering what happens to dear old Betsy once you donate her? Judging from our phone calls, many people do want to know where their old car goes, so we thought we’d share what happens here when a car donation arrives. Whether it’s a relatively new car or a very old family friend, it gets star treatment at Cars 4 Causes®.

When you donate, you determine what charity benefits from your vehicle donation, and we make sure we make the most of the donation for both you and your charity. (See our list of over 13,400 charities.) Some cars not designated with a charity enter our Give-Away Program that directly benefits needy individuals.

Choosing the Best Route for Your Car Donation

We have our own sales locations where we evaluate the car to determine its route.

• When it is cost-effective, we make major or minor mechanical repairs, and then we detail the cars and advertise them for sale. The cars, vans, trucks and other vehicles are sold, and then they move on to their new owners.
• Some cars go to auction, as this is the best route for them, for the best return.
• If the cars are not road-worthy, we recycle them through salvage and scrap channels. The scrap is recycled, turning up next in a surprisingly wide array of products – your new bicycles, your new appliances, new cars.

Your Tax Deduction

At the completion of any of these sales processes, you receive a tax deduction receipt for the donation. And, because of these evaluation and sales processes, Cars 4 Causes® The Charity That Gives To Charities® receives the highest average return for you in the industry! You benefit from this success in your tax write-off, and your charity benefits with a corresponding donation.

So, whether it’s old Betsy or that slightly used car in the garage, your donation is honored and appreciated all along the donation route.  Thank you for your generosity.

Tags: Car Donation, car donations, Car Give-Away, Car Give-Away Program, Cars 4 Causes®, donated cars for sale, Recycling Cars

There comes a day in the life of almost every recreational vehicle when it begins to spend more of its time in the storage lot or parked behind the fence than it does on the road. The family grows up, recreational passions shift to something new, and you move on.

Not using your summer vehicles? Donate RVs, boats, trailers and other recreational vehicles to charity.

If you’re at that point, then this year, as you put away your summer toys – the motorhome, trailer, fifth wheel, toy hauler, tent trailer or RV of any kind – consider the cost of winter storage. And consider donating your RV to charity.

You’ll be eligible for a vehicle donation tax deduction. And you’ll be generously helping the charity of your choice.

Many people do not realize that they can donate lots of kinds of vehicles – not just cars and trucks.

At Cars 4 Causes®, we accept donations of many varieties of recreational vehicles, from motorcycles to off-road vehicles to motorhomes and trailers. Call us if you think it’s time to talk about donating your summer vehicle – from kayaks to RVs.

And see our FAQ video, too, for lots of examples of charity donations.

Tags: Cars 4 Causes®, donate RV, trailer donation, vehicle donation

It’s back-to-school time around the nation, and we’re happy to say that this year, Cars 4 Cause® was able to help two students on their way to college. The only thing standing between these two courageous and hard-working students was transportation.

They were brought to our attention by Echoes of Hope, an organization that helps emancipated foster youth. The charity appealed to us through the Cars 4 Causes® Car Give-Away Program. They were seeking help for two of the youth in their program who had been accepted into college but had no way of getting there.

Here are the students’ stories and why we were thrilled to be able to help:

Truck donation helps Sealy, a straight-A student, go to UCLA

Shealy was a straight-A student in high school (4.06 grade average!). She was in the foster care system for years, but instead of letting the hardships of her life defeat her, she became a track athlete and a model student. She was accepted into the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). But to go to school, she needed reliable transportation. The logistical reality was that without a car, she could not attend.

The kind donation of a pickup truck made the difference for her; she’s now on her way to classes at UCLA.

Car donation helps Darryl, a straight-A student, attend CSULA. Darryl stands beside his car, with his friend who drove him up to pick up the donated vehicle.

Darryl was also a straight-A high school student. His life up to now has also been hard. He was 7 years old when he entered foster care. He describes his early years as “random disorganized disaster.” Darryl made it through a sad and often terrifying youth, and now he is majoring in Sociology at California State University, Los Angeles. He wants to make a difference in the lives of others.

He’s on his way to classes in a donated car, a car that he’ll remember for life as the car that made a difference for him.

The Cars 4 Causes® story began with the desire to help fund the education of young people, and we’re especially happy to share this back-to-school story. It reminds us of what an impact a charitable donation can have on the lives it touches.

To see the variety of ways your vehicle donation can help, check out the Cars 4 Causes® list of approved charities - over 13,400 charities at last count, from international organizations to regional branches, to local community charities.

Tags: car donations, Car Give-Away, Car Give-Away Program, Cars 4 Causes®, Echoes of Hope, Education, vehicle donation