The Cars 4 Causes Blog.

On February 17^th The Make-A-Wish Foundation Tri-Counties, an organization that grants the wishes of children with life threatening medical conditions, held a silent auction at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, CA.  The local event garnered over 100 participants and included dinner and live music.  Cars 4 Causes donated $10,000 worth of items to auction off at the benefit, and our very own President Patti Palmer and Executive Director Pat Jessup attended and Cars 4 Causes was acknowledged for donating $368,000 to the Make A Wish Foundation to date.

All in all the night was a great success, and we’re thrilled to report that Make-A-Wish Tri-Counties raised over $70,000 from the auction!

Here are some of the items that Cars 4 Causes donated for the auction:

• Joe Namath autographed lithograph 25^th anniversary super bowl III
• Ken Norton autographed boxing glove
• Harmon Killebrew autographed Twins Baseball Jersey
• 20 Skating Plus skate rental tickets
• 3 couple massages at Stress Busters Massage
• 10 Channel Islands Sports Fishing certificates for 2 people
• 15 Channel Islands Ice Skate Canter certificates
• 2 secret garden Inn and Cottages 2 night Bed & Breakfast stays
• 2 cases of Mick Fleetwood 2002 cuvée Premium Red Wine

If you would like to support Cars 4 Causes, you can do so by donating your car, boat, motorcycle or RV today.  Just fill out our online donation form or call us today at 1-888-488-9949.  ” It feels good helping others.” and your donation will make a difference!

S. Madrigal

January 25, 2011

Seems like just yesterday when we were handing out the awards to the children from last years art contest.

Another year, gone already?  Before you know it, we’ll be hosting our tenth art contest, my kids will want my car keys and I’ll be turning 30! ….o.k. 35, but a girl can dream!

But back to present day (whew!…..I feel better already).  This month Cars 4 Causes® held it’s 5^th Annual Kids Art Contest at the Santa Paula Elementary School District.  Six schools from the district participated and, at the contest awards ceremony last week, one winner was chosen from each grade 1 through 5.

This year, the police chief, fire chief and the former mayor/city council member were the honorable judges and it was no easy task.  I’ve been overseeing this contest for three years now and it seems like each year the submissions keep getting better and better.  This year was, by far, the best work ever; making our judges selections very difficult.

But in the end, it was the Glen City Elementary, 1^st grade; Barbara Webster Elementary, second grade; Blanchard Elementary, 3^rd grade; Glen City Elementary, 4^th grade; and Barbara Webster Elementary 5^th grade, all crowned the winners of this years contest.  READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Each student winner received an art kit.  Each winning students’ classroom was awarded $1,000 from Cars 4 Causes®.  And each winning students’ classroom chose an additional charity to receive $1,000 each.  Those charities chosen by the students were; SPIRIT of Santa Paula – Many Meals Project (chose twice); Assistance League School of Ventura County;  Make-a-Wish Foundation, Tri-Counties; and Locks of Love.

On behalf of Cars 4 Causes^® I would also like to thank the staff and teachers of the Santa Paula School District, as well as the parents of the students for their enthusiasm and support for this project.

Cars 4 Causes® 2011-2012 Sixth Annual Art Contest will take place within the Pleasant Valley School District.  This will include Camarillo Heights Elementary, Dos Caminos Elementary, El Descanso Elementary, La Mariposa Elementary, Las Posas Elementary, Rancho Rosal Elemantary and Tierra Linda Elementary.

Cars 4 Causes® Partners with Project: Hollywood Cares to Donate Much Needed Vehicle to Military Family

By M.Smith

(Los Angeles, CA) December 25, 2010 – Cars 4 Causes®, the charity that gives to charities, today donated a 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton car to Project: Hollywood Cares. The vehicle was then presented to the Morales family in a surprise Christmas day visit to their home in Hawthorne, California, home where Edgar and Wilma Morales, their nine-month old son, and a large gathering of close relatives had all assembled to celebrate the Christmas holiday.

Sergeant Morales & family enjoy thier Christmas Day surprise from Cars 4 Causes and Project: Hollywood Cares.

“It was a wonderful moment,” said Matthew Smith, board member of Cars 4 Causes®, “Tom Fick of Project Hollywood Cares, our Executive Director, Pat Jessup and I met the Morales Family at their home and surprised them with our special gift. We wanted to honor Sergeant Morales for his service and sacrifice to our country.”  Now back in the US, Mr. Morales has a lengthy commute to Camp Pendleton everyday and with only one car, it was quite challenging for Mrs. Morales to take care of their 9 month old, manage the house and attend school where she is finishing her degree. “A second car is exactly what they needed to relieve the stress and burden of their hectic and demanding schedules,” said Mr. Smith.

Looking to donate the car to a veteran in need, Cars 4 Causes® sought out local military-focused charity, Project: Hollywood Cares, to source a deserving family for this special Christmas giveaway.  At 11am today in Hawthorne, California, Cars 4 Causes® and Project: Hollywood Cares surprised returning war veteran, Edgar Morales, with the new car at their home and a large stuffed puppy dog for their son.

Edgar, a Sergeant for the US Marine Corp, returned home in November after completing an extended tour in Afghanistan. With Edgar having a 4-hour daily commute to report to Camp Pendleton each day, his wife Wilma in school finishing her degree, a new baby at home and only one vehicle between them, the Morales’ were very much in need of reliable transportation.

“I can’t believe this surprise on Christmas Day! I am shocked and so grateful for this car,” said Edgar Morales, Sergeant in the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Supply division at Camp Pendleton. “Thank you very much to Cars 4 Causes® and Project: Hollywood Cares.  This car is perfect and it will be a huge help to me and my family.”

“We are thrilled to have partnered with Project:  Hollywood Cares to give this great vehicle to the deserving and gracious Morales family on Christmas Day,” said Patti Palmer, President of Cars 4 Causes®. “A main focus of Cars 4 Causes® is to ensure that help goes where it is needed, so to see this final outcome of people’s charity is what it’s all about at the end of the day. This is a very fulfilling way for us to end the year, and also encouraging for continuing our hard work in 2011.”

Cars 4 Causes®, America’s first vehicle donation charity, accepts donations of all vehicles – cars, boats, motorcycles, and RV’s – expertly evaluates each donation and, if cost effective makes necessary repairs in order to sell the vehicle while ensuring the highest tax deduction value and net proceeds to charity.  A select number of vehicles are donated each year directly to families in need through the Cars 4 Causes® Give-Away Program, as is the case with the Morales family.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to have worked with Cars 4 Causes® to surprise a wonderful family in need with the car on Christmas Day,” said Tom Fick, founder of Project: Hollywood Cares. “Over the last 6 years since I began Project: Hollywood Cares, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many people in need and many charitable individuals willing to lend a hand.  In this case, Cars 4 Causes® was the perfect fit for the Morales family, and I look forward to more initiatives like this to support our soldiers and veterans.”

Project: Hollywood Cares distributes products of the entertainment industry, such as DVDs of popular movies, to deployed troops, wounded soldiers in military hospitals and the surviving spouse & children of fallen heroes in efforts to support America’s military personnel for their dedicated service and sacrifice. As the charity grows through various partnerships and greater awareness, expanded programs of special projects, events, outings and hospital visits begin to offer additional support to the mission.

To see how you can help through these charities, please visit www.cars4causes.net and www.projecthollywoodcares.org.

About Cars 4 Causes®

Originally founded in 1997 by concerned parents to support education for children with disabilities, Cars 4 Causes® is a 501(c)(3) charity that accepts vehicle donations, evaluates and makes cost-effective repairs if warranted, sells them to consumers and dealers, and then donates the proceeds to the charity of the donors’ choosing. Using three main areas of sale – retail, wholesale, and clean air, Cars 4 Causes® is able to receive the highest return on vehicle donation in the industry. Since its founding, Cars 4 Causes® has received over $100 million in donations from over 150,000 vehicles, and has shared proceeds with over 15,000 charities.

About Project: Hollywood Cares

Project: Hollywood Cares is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation supported by concerned citizens, veterans, volunteers and entertainment industry professionals. It’s threefold mission is designed to boost morale, express gratitude and improve quality of life military issues while supporting America’s service personnel presently tasked with multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan & Iraq, help wounded soldiers rehabilitating in military hospitals and provide financial support & assistance to the surviving spouse and children of our fallen heroes killed in action. PHC’s detailed command support program provides large entertainment libraries that include the four major products of Hollywood, (Emmy nominated television programs, feature films, music CDs and video games). The charity conducts a wide program of visits, outings, events and special projects in support of active duty personnel, military families and rehabilitating wounded soldiers.

One of our most rewarding experiences here at Cars 4 Causes® is handing over the keys to one of our donated vehicles to an individual or family in need. To see the joy and appreciation on the faces of our Give Away Program recipients and to know that our programs make a difference in so many lives always reminds us that “It Feels Good Helping Others”®.

Car Given to Friends and Families Together for Alice's House

One of our most rewarding experiences here at Cars 4 Causes® is handing over the keys to one of our vehicle donation to an individual or family in need. To see the joy and appreciation on the faces of our Car Give Away Program recipients and to know that our programs make a difference in so many lives always reminds us that “It Feels Good Helping Others”®.

Our most recent Car Give Away Program recipient was one of our charity partners, Kids & Families Together(www.kidsandfamilies.org) for the benefit of their Alice’s House Program.

Alice’s House is a wonderful program that provides a cooperative living home for young women who have “aged out” of the foster care system. It was named after Alice McGrath, a neighbor and dear friend of Kids & Families Together, who has been internationally recognized for her work in social justice. Alice’s daughter created Alice’s House in order to provide emancipated youth a home at very low rent.

Kids & Families Together requested a van or SUV to transport Alice’s House residents to important places, like medical appointments, job interviews and FOOD share pick- ups.  Cars 4 Causes® was able to provide them with a 1997 Mercury Villager, which turned out to be exactly what they needed.

It is our hope that this new van will help these young women take advantage of every opportunity presented to them. We wish the residents of Alice’s House the best of luck, and are honored to be able to support the good work of Kids & Families Together and their Alice’s House project.

We were eager to help Zaira out when we heard her touching story of keeping hope and being triumphant over terrible circumstances.

Zaira endured a painful and abusive childhood before she immigrated to the United States in 1995. Forced to continue living with a neglectful and demeaning parent, she was left feeling discouraged, unsupported and completely alone. She had nearly lost hope by the time she was placed in the foster care system.

It was at this point that Zaira’s life drastically changed for the better. She made her way through grade school, graduated high school, and is now in college, working towards becoming a Registered Nurse.

“I was on my journey to become someone”, she says. ”So far, I am doing excellent….For the past years, I have had many obstacles, but I have never given up and I never will.”

Zaira didn’t just believe in herself, she put in the work, and it has paid off in a big way. One obstacle that Zaira couldn’t overcome alone though was her lack of transportation.  She saved money and bought herself a car, but the cost of continually having to pay for repairs quickly became too cumbersome, and the car eventually ceased to work.

Cars 4 Causes® was happy to help. We provided Zaira with a 2003 Toyota Corolla. It’s our hope that, with the help of her new car, she will be able to continue to thrive in school and in life, and continue to meet her goals and fulfill her dreams. Make a car donation today!