The Cars 4 Causes Blog.

In July we talked about a Cars 4 Causes® car donation that keeps on giving – a specially equipped van that was donated by Laura, whose husband had ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease).  When he passed away, Laura started a string of generous donations when she donated the van to Cars 4 Causes® and stipulated that the van be given to someone with ALS.

This Honda Odyssey van, equipped with a chair lift was donated with the stipulation that it go to a person with ALS.

The van is a 2007 Honda Odyssey outfitted with a chair lift and it was given to Norris, whose wife, Loretta, told us that it made an enormous difference in his last two months of life, making it possible for him to get out of his house and enjoy a drive through the countryside. When he passed away, Loretta donated the van back to Cars 4 Causes®, continuing the stipulation that it go to someone with ALS.

It was given to Sherry, who had ALS and who – on the day she received the van – said she would donate it forward to someone with ALS when she passed away. Sadly, that day came recently, and the van was donated back to Cars 4 Causes® to continue its journey of helping people in need.

The Honda Odyssey has now been delivered to Ronald, who also has ALS. He’s using it to get him to work four days a week, and we hope he’s going to be using it for a long, long time.

When we first talked about the van in July, we mentioned that it’s been dubbed “the car with angel wings”.  We still call it that. And we send our heartfelt thanks to the courageous people who have used it and donated it to others in need. Make a car donation today! Your donation will support thousands of people who need your help.

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 car donation 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.

Laura’s husband had ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease), and as his disease progressed, he was more and more housebound. They bought a 2007 Honda Odyssey and had it outfitted with a chair lift. (The chair lift alone was valued at $20,000, and they felt lucky that they were able to afford it.) Laura and her husband put just 7,000 miles on their Honda before his death. Then Laura donated the car to Cars 4 Causes. She made just one stipulation:

This Honda Odyssey van, equipped with a chair lift was donated with the stipulation that it go to a person with ALS.

She wanted the specially equipped Honda to go to someone with ALS, someone who would benefit from it as her husband had.

The Second Owner

Norris, who also suffered from ALS, lived 20 miles away, and he was the recipient of the donated car. His wife, Loretta, tells us that the car made all the difference in the last two months of Norris’s life. Just a ride around town was a treat and a drive outside to see the countryside – well, that was a dream. In those last two months, the couple drove just 50 miles, but the car gave Norris access to the world again.

When Norris passed away, Loretta donated the Honda Odyssey back to Cars 4 Causes with one stipulation. We were not surprised. She said it must go to someone with ALS, and so it did.

The Third Owner

The specially equipped Honda Odyssey is now serving Sherry, who also has ALS. Her sister, Sheila, says Sherry has a laundry list of places she wants to go, and they plan to drive to them all. Sherry has already made her stipulation. When she is finished with the car, she wants it to go to someone with ALS.

The car has been dubbed “the car with angel wings” and we think it is that. Also, we think of it as the car with courage. Make a car donation today! Your donation will support thousands of people who need your help.

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.)