Ever wonder if your vehicle donation really makes a difference?   Well, take a look at this letter we recently received from Ericka Bigger of Project Understanding, and you might just be convinced that it does.  The name of the family, and family members, have been changed in the interest of privacy.

Hello Pat,

My name is Ericka Bigger from Project Understanding and your organization helped us about 8 months ago with a car for one of our homeless families who entered our Transition House Program.   I wanted to give you a follow up on how [Jennifer] has been doing since being blessed with the vehicle your organization donated to her and her children.

Before the vehicle [Jennifer] was struggling to complete any goals such as gaining employment or finishing her high school diploma since she also has 3 small children with her. Since getting the vehicle [Jennifer] has been attending school regularly at the Ventura Adult Ed and will be graduating in June!! Her teachers and I are very excited as is [Jennifer].  [Jennifer] believed that she would never be getting her high school diploma since she had so many barriers to accomplish. Yet with your great donation it allowed her to get to school everyday to make this goal come true! Also [Jennifer] is working part-time and attending school full-time. As soon as she completes her high school diploma she will be working full-time and will be deciding what her next goal is. Since also being in our program [Jennifer] has saved over $2,000 and continues to save. [Jennifer] has one year left with us and we know she will continue to make us proud.

I did want to share her success with you since your organization’s donation gave her motivation and the tool to continue in her goals.

Thank you for everything

Ericka Bigger

Transition House Program Manager

We receive letters like this every day from many wonderful organizations that are doing great things to help those in need.   If you have been considering donating a vehicle but weren’t sure if or how it would help, rest assured there are people and organizations that Cars 4 Causes works with that depend on these generous donations to improve the lives of many families and individuals in need.  So don’t hesitate, please donate today!

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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!

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Most Money Raised To-Date; C4C Biggest Donor

P. Jessup, January 19. 2011

Everyone loves a party, right?  Especially, when you’re one the guest of honor…the attention, the accolades, the paparazzi…..After all, we do live in California, where “celebrity” is the unofficial state motto! 

But at the end of the day, there are some of us who are content just knowing that what we do helps those less fortunate and changes lives.  I am one of those people who love what we do here at Cars 4 Causes but have never relished the idea of being praised for it.  However, in the course of doing all this good work, it does feel nice to be recognized and appreciated for our efforts.

Last Thursday, Cars 4 Causes was one of three supporters who were honored for their respective contributions to the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk that was held on October 2, 2010.  So, humbly, I showed up to a small gathering in Thousand Oaks, California.  It was a beautiful setting held at the Oak View Retirement Community. The grounds were meticulously manicured, the room was warm and comfortable, the air was casual, the hor d’oeuvres were scrumptious and everyone was in good spirits. 

Cars 4 Causes was recognized for the efforts its volunteer group, Team Cars 4 Causes, contributed to the Memory Walk.  The team showed up to the event with the most team members and brought tremendous visibility to the Walk with over 40 participants, all synchronized in matching Team Cars 4 Causes hats and shirts.  You may recall from a the story posted on our website, that Team Cars 4 Causes raised more than $2,400 for the Alzheimer’s Walk and helped them surpass their fundraising goal of $50,000 for this event.  READ FULL STORY HERE.

On behalf of Cars 4 Causes I was presented with a certificate and beautifully engraved plaque memorializing Cars 4 Causes’ support for the Alzheimer’s Association.  I dedicated the plaque to all of the Team Cars 4 Causes members who showed up and contributed their time and money to make the 2010 Alzheimer’s Walk a success. I can’t help walking away from an event like this and not think to myself, “it sure feels good helping others.”

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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.

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1. YOUR CAR DONATION DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

The food drive was held from October 25^th to November 19^th, with drop boxes located at County Commerce Bank locations throughout Ventura, as well as Cars 4 Causes^® headquarters.  We worked in conjunction with Project Understanding because they have a great operation that makes sure those in need receive emergency food supplies when needed.

Team Cars 4 Causes^® members gathered all of the overflowing drop boxes and, together with our executive director, Pat Jessup, delivered them to Project Understanding, just in time for Thanksgiving.

Rob Orth, Executive Director of Project Understanding met Team Cars 4 Causes^® at the entrance to the Food Pantry where staff members from both organizations unloaded the food items and together stocked the Project Understanding shelves in anticipation of their holiday need.

“People in need come directly to the food pantry. They go through a brief interview process so that we can understand their need for emergency food. They usually receive enough food to last three or four days,” explained Mr. Orth, as he gave a warm and hear-felt “Thank You” to Cars 4 Causes^® and all the Team Members.

While we were stocking the shelves a young mother with 4 small children were receiving their emergency food supply. The biggest thanks was to actually see how our hard work and donation is used to directly help those in need during this holiday season.

Team Cars 4 Causes® is a dedicated group of caring employees and volunteers that come together to support local charitable causes.  Another way Cars 4 Causes^® gives back to the community.

Cars 4 Causes®, “The Charity That Gives to Charities,”^® is America’s first vehicle donation charity. We are America’s most trusted and recognized choice for turning your vehicle donation into cash for charity. Since 1997, we have received over 150,000 vehicle donations; raised more than $100 million; and shared proceeds with more than 15,000 charities, schools and/or religious organizations throughout the United States. So what are you waiting for? Make a car donation today!

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1. YOUR CAR DONATION DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
2. Wish Night

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!

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1. YOUR CAR DONATION DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

So after a bit of searching through our database of supported charities, we happened upon Project Linus, a charity that gives new, handmade blankets and afghans made by volunteers to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need.

It was a perfect match. The staff at Cars 4 Causes ® is a creative bunch with a serious knack for arts and crafts. We ended up making six blankets for Project Linus, all of which were not only warm and functional but absolutely adorable.

As The Charity That Gives To Charities®, Cars 4 Causes ® has always embraced the concept of helping others as one of our core values. But it’s not just a job; it’s a way of life.  And we’re not just employees, we’re community members.

Whether you volunteer, give financial support or donate car, you truly can make a positive impact on the lives of those in need. In the spirit of giving, especially in light of recent events, Cars 4 Causes ® encourages everyone to do what they can to make a difference, and help others in their times of hardship. Make a car donation today!

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The kids, Tyler, Logan and Carley, and moms, Sandy, Patti and Stephanie, all felt the joy that comes from volunteering time, efforts and resources.

The gift program, run by the Ventura County Rescue Mission, is called “The Great Toy Giveaway,” and it’s been going on for over 15 years. The Mission gives away about 3,500 new toys during the holidays, spreading the joy amongst 800-900 families, all of them low-income or families on assistance. The program is funded by the Peter C. Foy Foundation, along with toy donations from Toys 4 Tots and other, local toy drives.

As a mom, I was amazed at the sensitivity and the efforts of all of the volunteer children who came to wrap presents.

But here’s what made my heart burst with an overwhelming joy: The kids with us looked at the piles of gifts all around us as we were wrapping, and said, “This is not enough.” They wanted to give more and they wanted to do more.

We moms encouraged that seed of charity, of course; the next day, we took the kids shopping for presents they wanted to give to the kids at the Ventura County Rescue Mission. And we all went back again to wrap more gifts.

In my work here at Cars 4 Causes® The Charity That Gives To Charities®, I’m surrounded every day by the generosity of people giving through their car donation, yet I am still amazed at the human ability to give so much – and thrilled to see this spirit taking root in my child.

The volunteer kids were a blur, moving fast, putting spirit and energy into wrapping gifts for needy children.

Jonathan Leeper, the Ventura County Rescue Mission volunteer coordinator, tells me that he has children volunteering along with their parents all year long. The kids help serve meals. (The Mission serves 700-900 meals every day.) And the children help clean up the dining room after meals.

The holiday gift-wrapping is one of the most touching for the children, as they see how they can directly help other children who are just like themselves – but not so fortunate.

How wonderful it is to see the growth of charity in the next generation!

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Car donations can help families in need, too. By choosing the charity that benefits from your car donation, you can directly help those in need in your community. Here at Cars 4 Causes®, we’re warmed at this time of year by the donations that we see being made in support of help for those in need of the basic necessities – food, clothing and shelter. We have many such charities on our current list of charities, and — if you don’t see the one you want your car donation to benefit — we are happy to add new charities. In fact, we do. Every day.

Here are just three of the many generous organizations that provide food and shelter.

The Central Downtown Food Basket in Sacramento, Calif., feeds seniors and low-income residents of the community all year long. They serve nearly 700 seniors and 1,500 families every month and do their best to provide healthful food. The group also provides warm clothing and hygiene product to those who need them.

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County helps provide food to those in need by working through a network of hunger-relief charities and community resources in the county. The Foodbank works to eliminate hunger on the local level by providing food and education through collaboration with others.

The McHenry House provides shelter to homeless families in transition to self-sufficiency in Tracy, Calif., and the surrounding area. In addition to temporary housing, the McHenry House provides counseling, guidance, employment referrals, financial planning assistance, medical care and addiction treatment and educational assistance for the children.

There are many ways to donate our time, money and resources. Donating a car is just one. But we’re happy to say that it can be a valuable one that provides funds to the organizations that help those most in need – not just during the holiday season, but all year long. So what are you waiting for? Donate car today!

Happy Thanksgiving. And thank you for giving!

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Ivan receives a car donation from Cars 4 Causes (R)

Ivan is one of the behind-the-scenes people who make many of the youth programs, major events and Sunday services happen for the AGAPE International Spiritual Center in Culver City, Calif. He designs sets for the group’s events. He makes great use of fabrics, which helps keep costs down.  He finds the fabrics, picks them up, takes them to get fire-proofed, and then creates beautiful sets out of them.

A bonus of his efforts: he inspires other volunteers of all ages to help create the sets. And the result: beautiful, collaborative works of art that inspire the moment and also create a sense of community for one and all.

Donated Car Replaces Used-Up Vehicle

As we mentioned above, Ivan donated the services of his car as well as his own time and efforts. But then his 1984 Plymouth hit the 180,000 marker on the odometer, and it began to cost more and more in repairs. Not only was Ivan buried in repair costs, but he also could not afford to replace the vehicle. Fortunately, AGAPE contacted Cars 4 Causes® and through the Cars 4 Causes® Car Giveaway Program, we were able to find a donated car for Ivan.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of most not-for-profit organizations – from social and health services to environmental causes to religious groups – and we were pleased to be able to help one volunteer continue to give to his cause.

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We have been amazed by the many charities that serve people and causes around the world and proud to be partnered with so many of them. There are many that provide help to schools and fill other educational needs. You’ll find several on our webpage listing of charities.  We think they’re all terrific, and here are a few examples:

Donating Cars to Education

The Youth Science Center helps kids explore and learn to love science and math, with exhibits, interactive learning programs, and hands-on learning experiences. The Center offers math, science and technology classes for students grades K-8, all with the goal of improving math and science education.

What’s In Your Lunch Box is a collaboration of doctors, professionals, interns and students who provide support to families living with autism. The organization hosts interactive education and training workshops on diet and nutrition, adaptive physical exercise and advocacy, all designed to help families manage and overcome the unique challenges and barriers of feeding children on the Autism Spectrum.

Harley School is a Rochester, New York, independent private school for children from the nursery through Grade 12. Harley School focuses on nurturing the unique strengths of each student, while striving to foster a love of learning, creative imagination and a desire for intellectual achievement.

These are three very different charities with one thing in common that touches every parent’s heart: they all exist to help our children. So do the many other educational institutions and organizations listed in our list of charities. Take a look, and see the many ways a car donation can make a difference in a child’s life.

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We think car donations can play a big role and a multi-dimensional one in helping to clean up the planet.

When a car donor calls Cars 4 Causes® wanting to donate an old car that’s spewing and sputtering fumes into the air – one that cannot pass a smog test, one that is a high polluter – then a whole chain of events is set in motion. We pick up the car, which gets it off the road; we feel good about that because we’ve removed a source of pollution.

The car donor chooses a charity to benefit from the donation. And maybe she chooses one of the many environmental organizations on our supported charities list. Maybe not. There are many ways to help the environment, and some of these are by bringing relief to people threatened by climate-related disasters such as famine, flooding, and drought.

Recycle, Reduce, Reuse

We scrap and recycle the old donated car. Some of its parts get salvaged and reused. The bulk of it gets recycled, turning up later in faucets, doorknobs, refrigerators, washing machines, bicycles, and of course, in new (more environmentally friendly) vehicles. The process of recycling a vehicle is another link in the chain that does its part in reducing the human impact on our environment.

Charities Doing Their Part to Clean Up the Environment

Most of the car donations (and other vehicle donations too) that come to Cars 4 Causes® are still viable transportation. But we realized early in our life as “The Charity That Gives To Charities(R)” that part of our work would be dealing with cars that were simply not roadworthy. We set up our Clean Air Program® to take care of this segment of car donations.

We’ve recycled thousands of cars off the roads over the years, and as we ponder this day when bloggers throughout the world are thinking about climate change and humanity’s role in it, we know our efforts are just a small piece of a larger global consciousness. We’re delighted that so many people around the world are pondering our planet along with us today. So what are you waiting for? Donate car today!

Our small, individual efforts add up; together, we can make a huge difference.

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We also have the Cars 4 Causes® Charity Partners Program. (Within this program, non-profit organizations designate Cars 4 Causes® as their car donation charity, and our experienced team then works directly with them to take care of their vehicle donations.)

We thought you’d like to hear about a few of our newest Charity Partners that focus their efforts on animals.

Ace of Hearts is a dog rescue foundation.

Ace of Hearts. This is a dog rescue foundation for animals in need. Its members rescue dogs from shelters, saving them from potentially being euthanized. Ace of Hearts is devoted to reducing pet over-population and finding these dogs happy, healthy homes.

Friends of Animals finds homes for abused cats and dogs

Friends of Animals Foundation. This charity rehabilitates and finds homes for abused, neglected and abandoned cats and dogs. They run a no-kill shelter that takes animals in, some in devastating conditions. The Friends of Animals Foundation is committed to finding responsible and loving adoptive families that will give these animals a second chance at a good life.

New England Equine Rescues. This organization is a network of volunteers who love horses. The New England Equine Rescues group facilitates the humane treatment and placement of horses, mainly focusing on crisis intervention.

See our list of charities on our Website – You’ll find many, many animal rescue organizations you can designate when you donate car through Cars 4 Causes®. We’d love to list them all here; they range from the Bat World Sanctuary in Texas to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee to the Maui Humane Society.

Your car donation span geography and charity to help those in need.

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Donated to the Cars 4 Causes(R) Give-Away Program, this box truck plays a key role in a creative neighborhood project.esperately needed.

CityKidz is run by the South Coast Fellowship in Ventura, and the truck was donated as part of our Cars 4 Causes® Give-Away Program.

The truck is key to the success of the CityKidz program. The South Coast Fellowship painted it in fun colors and images and loaded it up with sound equipment, games, prizes and costumes. Now, volunteers take it on visits to local neighborhoods. At each stop, kids and their families are invited to come and participate in an exciting program that includes games, music, and impromptu skits.

The CityKidz’ immediate goal is to involve children and their families in expressive, creative and cooperative interaction. Volunteers visit each area once a week, and now residents look forward to seeing them arrive.  The longer-term goal is to build a relationship with neighborhood residents, one which allows the South Coast Fellowship to identify and meet practical needs.

The journey is a continuing one, and we’re pleased to see that a plain, white, donated truck could be transformed to play a colorful part in this successful program. Learn how to donate car today!

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1. YOUR CAR DONATION DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Elings Park. A private, non-profit park in Santa Barbara County, supported entirely by donations and user fees, Elings Park provides a variety of sports and recreational activities for youth and families.

Feline Network of Central Coast. Volunteers at the Feline Network of the Central Coast work to rescue, and find foster homes for, abandoned domestic cats in San Luis Obispo County. The group’s Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program helps to humanely reduce the feral cat population.

Freedom is Not Free. This organization provides support and assistance to wounded soldiers, their families and the families of fatally wounded soldiers. Its programs range from individual assistance to soldiers for rehabilitation and necessities, to supporting other organizations with complementary goals, to refurbishing facilities that serve the wounded soldiers and their families.

Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront offers emergency assistance, support, education and morale-boosting programs for deployed military and their family members, and returning wounded warriors. The goal is to make a difference in the quality of life for military families affected by deployment.

Pacific Pride Foundation. The Pacific Pride Foundation provides support services and advocacy to the HIV/AIDS and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities of Santa Barbara County. The group provides a food pantry, community resources and education, as well as comprehensive health services, counseling and care.

Youth Education and Youth Programs. Cars 4 Causes partners with many education and youth programs. The latest to join for increased car donations are: the Boys & Girls Club of Conejo/Las Virgenes, Chaparral High School in Ojai, Calif., and Girls Inc. of San Diego.

The Cars 4 Causes list of charities includes thousands of qualifying organizations, and we are adding more almost every day. If you don’t see your favorite charity on our website, please contact us. We have many, many more charities and we’re happy to review new ones, too.

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1. YOUR CAR DONATION DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Much of the media talk around the subject of new car tax deductions has been focused on the Car Allowance Rebate System (the so-called “Cash for Clunkers” program). But, while this program may benefit some new car buyers with a trade-in vehicle, it does not pencil out for everyone.

Tax Deduction for New Car Purchase

For many, especially if you have a charity you support, the real value may be in the New Car Tax Deduction amendment to the Economic Stimulus Package. With this program, you can be eligible for a tax credit (a tax deduction against taxable income) equal to the sales and excise tax on your purchase of a qualifying new vehicle. (Click here to see the rules of this program.)

Tax Deduction for Car Donation

You still take your tax deduction for your car donation, too!

And, as the rules stand, your tax deduction on your donated vehicle equals the gross selling price. (Click here to see the federal brochure on car donations.) There are lots of reasons that donating your car may be the best option for you. For example, your vehicle may be worth more than the clunker payoff would allow; you or your car may not qualify for the clunker program; your tax situation may benefit more from a donation (your tax accountant can determine this for you).

Overall, too, there’s the benefit of donating a car to charity and helping your cause while also improving your tax situation this year.

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The day started off with a 5K run/walk, and ended with all of us tired, a little sunburned, and a lot happy at what we accomplished. In case you weren’t there, the VEP SummerFest is a day-long event of fun, music, healthy foods and physical fitness events. This year, there was a climbing wall, hula hoops, a drum circle, great music, a booth dedicated to birds and another to reptiles. (Just from that, you can see how much fun this was for kids!)

Cars 4 Causes gave away tote bags and flyers and got the word out about Save Our Schools, a section of Cars 4 Causes, a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, we created to make it easy to donate a car and dedicate the proceeds to the California school of your choice  — our effort to help get arts and music back into the schools.

Cars 4 Causes Ventura Education Partnership SummerFest booth got the word out on the Save Our Schools program.

Our Surprise Speaker

We had a wonderful spokesperson on our SummerFest team, someone who experiences the lack of music and art classes first-hand and is not too shy to talk about it: nine-year-old Becky (see her sitting in the photo here, taken at an uncharacteristically quiet moment).

Becky thrilled us with her enthusiasm, surprised those who stopped at the booth with her articulation of the issue, and humbled us all with her dedication. She was non-stop, and she made a difference.

We’re doing everything we can to live up to Becky’s expectations. We’ve made it easy to donate to Ventura County schools through Save Our Schools, and we’re spreading the word. Our message: Donate a car so your children can experience what you had as a child, music and art in the classroom.

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Tom Fick, Project Hollywood Cares, with the donated car he received through Cars 4 Causes

We were amazed. He certainly proved to us what a difference an individual can make. His original brainstorm was to collect the “for your consideration” movies sent to members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for Emmy Award viewing and to forward them to our armed forces.

Building a New Organization

Fick started Project: Hollywood Cares out of his garage, spending the first several months acquiring the permissions needed to re-distribute DVDs intended for screenings only. He was successful, with Hollywood pros at all levels responding and helping him further the cause.  Since then, the motion picture and music industries have joined Project: Hollywood Cares, too. And thousands of military personnel have been able to sit back and enjoy a bit of home while far away from home. (Click here to read a news story about troops receiving Project: Hollywood Cares packages.)

Project: Hollywood Cares is an all-volunteer organization, and it is constantly on the road picking up donations, shipping them, visiting hospitals, and sometimes presenting video libraries to stateside military bases, Navy ships and military hospitals.

The young organization, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation, came to Cars 4 Causes seeking any help we could provide. A car “would be of invaluable assistance,” Fick said. In the current economic downturn, though his group is overwhelmingly successful in procuring donated items, fund-raising is tight, and they desperately needed transportation. We were pleased to be able to help with a donated car, a Honda Accord, to help keep those morale-boosting movies going to the troops. Learn how to donate car today!

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What can a parent to do to help? We’ve identified a few ways:

• Volunteer for your child’s classroom
• Volunteer for your school PTA
• Donate money to your child’s school

• And we’re adding another: Donate car to your California school of choice.

Donating Cars to Schools of Your Choice

We’ve set up a Save Our Schools section of Cars 4 Causes, a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, to make it easy for you to donate a car and dedicate the proceeds to the California school of your choice. You’ll receive the same tax benefits as with any car donation, and you’ll be helping your child’s school.

Why We Care

The problem with cutting the arts and physical education programs, as we see it, is

Children learn teamwork and discover new horizons in their arts programs.

that these programs enrich the lives of our children. Gym classes teach team skills (a great predictor of success in corporate life!), and art and music programs broaden our children’s views of life’s possibilities. Who knows what talents our kids will discover within themselves, given the opportunity?

We care about kids and education; in fact, our concerns about education were the reason we originally launched Cars 4 Causes. Now, Cars 4 Causes is the most highly respected  car donation program in the nation, and we think we can lend a hand to help our schools through tough times.

Check out our Save Our Schools section on the Cars 4 Causes Website. Our kids need our help.

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1st through 3rd grade winners of Cars 4 Causes Kids Art Contest

Notice one thing they all have in common? We think there’s something there, and we’re calling it: helping in any way you can. First-grader Maria helps by giving toys and food to others and by visiting friends in the hospital. Third-grader Ketsie helped with a car wash; that was her favorite.

Each poster tells a story, and we’ll let you enjoy ‘reading’ the children’s stories and messages in their art. They’re all here.

4th and 5th grade winners of Cars 4 Causes Kids Art Contest

At Cars 4 Causes, we rediscover every day that charity and the desire to help others is an all-embracing human quality. We see it in the children’s art, and we see it in adults who donate cars to charity.

While it’s true that we adults get a tax deduction with our car donation, we also help the charity of our choice, and that’s the real driving force behind the desire to donate a vehicle – helping others. I guess we know that; the kids just remind us when we give them a chance.

The Prizes

Each of the children who won at their grade level received an art kit; their school received $1,000; and that student’s class was able to designate $1,000 to any non-profit organization of their choice. [You can see more on eligibility and participation in the Annual Cars 4 Causes Kids Art Contest in our May blog.]

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