When the donating “how” matters as much as the “why”

When a donor calls or writes in ready to donate their vehicle, they usually have a very clear Why. They are donating because they care. That caring comes in all shapes: love for critters and passion for health causes; concern for community and love of the arts; faith and hope for the future.

It’s important that every donor’s reason for giving is met with an efficient, personal, respectful process.

Two things that count for everything here at Donate a Car? The How of getting things done around here? Well, they’re the two things that may matter very much to you when you’re considering the big generosity of donating a car, truck, van, SUV, or motorcycle.

Integrity

You won’t find a lot of flash and bang around here. We are a solid team with a solid process. ‘Tried and true for two decades, in fact! We make no false claims, and we are proud to run our little business with honesty and human dignity. Through the years we’ve experienced some dirty dealin’ — not everyone plays fair in the vehicle donation industry. We breathe deep and easy knowing that from day one we have served with transparency and fairness. “Integrity” isn’t a tired or overused word around here. It’s a daily practice.

Donor and charity support

That integrity runs through the second reason you’ll want to keep us in mind when donating a vehicle: our support for donors and charities is second to none. You’ll see it in our Google Reviews: communication is top notch around here. Whether you’re connecting via telephone or email, you’re engaging funny, attentive, and capable humans. We care. A lot. And we care about what you care about. Our best day is helping you have a fully amazing donation experience from start to finish!

And we’re here for your charity of choice, too. We take care of every aspect of vehicle donation so that they need do nothing. In fact, even the tax receipting process is managed by CanadaHelps so that the charity simply needs to receive the funds. There’s no need to divert their attention from the work they love doing because every detail is tended for them.

One donor’s story offers some perspective

One Manitoban offered some reassuring words the other day. A hearty reminder of why this stuff matters so much!

“Hi! Just wanted to let you know that the tow company arrived as scheduled (the operator was pleasant and accommodating), and I cancelled my insurance on it the next day.
 
After almost 19 years of driving my Vibe to commute back and forth to work almost 100kms per day during the week and travelling through some very nasty prairie weather (all of which that car got me through safely and reliably), it was sad to ‘her go’ but it was just time to say goodbye.  With it being a stick (manual transmission), there just wasn’t anyone interested in buying it from me.  
 

She offers a little more on the integrity of the how and the why of it all…

So, I turned to making it into a donation and hope that in that way it will have some value to CancerCare Manitoba because we are all affected by this disease in one way or another.

I had originally thought to donate it to (another vehicle donation program) but searching for that site landed me on the Donate A Car Canada website which had so many other worthy organizations from which to choose, it was a bit of a struggle to decide on which one!  I’m confident that CancerCare is the best decision.
 
Lastly, thank you.  I found the Donate A Car Canada website to be a very straight forward and easy process!  The emails and the telephone calls I received were all very informative and very pleasant, putting me at ease with making the donation.   I would definitely recommend this process to anyone wishing to dispose of an old/aging vehicle.”

Low key generosity, high key joy

From time-to-time a donor will ask about our advertising efforts compared to other car donation programs.

One of the ways we keep our overhead (very!) low is by operating as an on-line entity. We rely on word-of-mouth and internet searching for our donations. This ensures that we’re not investing dollars into marketing that could be going directly to our hundreds of receiving charities.

So, if you’ve seen a TV ad, that’s not us! ‘Spot a boss ad on a billboard, or hearing it on the radio. Nope. Not us either!

How ever you have found us, your vehicle can contribute to the charity of your choice. If you’d like to learn more, jump to our Contact Us page. You’ll see our toll-free number there. Call us during business hours, MST, Monday to Friday! Just as easy? Send us your questions via email — we typically respond within a couple of hours (unless you’ve caught us in the middle of the night…we do need to take a snooze from time-to-time). We’re looking forward to working alongside you on behalf of the cause you love!

The post No Jingles, No Billboard Sass; Just Boring Ol’ Integrity appeared first on Donate A Car.

One of my favourite traditions with my Mom is going to K-Days in Edmonton. We’ve done it for 21 years now, with the exception of maybe one or two when I was having babies. We enjoy a leisurely lunch while we watch the thoroughbred races at Northlands Park. We spend the whole afternoon laughing and enjoying each other’s company. She bets, I post them for her, we have our little routines. Then we wander through the exhibits, buy fudge and mini donuts. We stay at a hotel because we both come from other places. They are memories I will treasure as long as I live.

What does going to the Exhibition have to do with Mother’s Day? Well, those memories contribute to the embodiment of who my Mom is, and when it comes to celebrating her, those moments mean something. When I think of her, there is no thing I can do, nor words to fully express my gratitude for all she represents to me. When Mother’s Day comes around, I fall so short in acknowledging her but then, maybe demonstrating my love and appreciation is something I should do more of all year through and not just leave it for one day out of the entire year! This year she’s going to be in Cow Town with me (a rare treat), and we get to enjoy an Elvis impersonation dinner theatre. Can’t wait! After all, Elvis was always her first love!! 🙂

Memory lane and Mother’s Day

I read an article this week that took me down memory lane and it offered a great idea for making Mom’s day special. One dad bought a journal and has his little girl write/draw a card in it every year instead of buying one. How sweet is that? I like that dad! Thoughtful, all I’d need to draw a tear or two! Isn’t that a great idea?

There are so many creative things we can do without spending a ton of money. Breakfast in bed – the old standby. A hand-made coupon book filled with ‘gifts’ of time, chores done, good attitudes, no sibling fights for a day… Flowers of course, family. Surprises.

Mom’s Day and Donate a Car Canada

All of us working at Donate A Car Canada are moms [This was the case when this was originally posted back in 2014 — we’ve had a few shuffles in staff since then!]. We all have lots of stuff. I think I can safely speak for all of us when I say that we don’t need more stuff. We want more meaning. If you really wanted to do something meaningful for Mom, you could ask what her favourite charity is and make a donation on her behalf. Maybe it’s MADD, maybe it’s Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, maybe it’s Inn from the Cold. Take a look through our thousands of Canadian charities and you’ll find an organization I’m sure, who could use the love and generosity of a family honouring their Mom, whether it’s a monetary gift, a vehicle donated through our program, or even volunteering.

Whatever you choose to do to make Mother’s Day memorable, know that even the little things mean a lot to us Moms!

The post Mother’s Day appeared first on Donate A Car.

It’s National Pet Week — a great time to donate cars4pets!

If you love your pets, donate a van to one of Canada’s critter caring charities!

From a Fiat called Lola (going up for auction in the weeks ahead) to a rusty ol’ Civic, when you donate a car for animals the funds go a long way to helping! These two vehicles will help cat rescues in two provinces.

Every year hundreds of vehicle donors select their local humane society, SPCA, or other animal shelter as charity of choice. These charities are exceptional at stretching donation dollars. Every car really does count.

Excellence in donor and charity care is the heart of serving causes like theirs.

Bears and beyond

Are you more about donkeys, or pigs, or wilder things? You will find your charity of choice is able to receive your valuable vehicle donation.

‘Every heard of the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada? They’re on the list!

At the end of May, Alberta Animal Rescue Crew will see a re-sale outcome from a donated Honda Civic.

Hope for Wildlife has had a motorcycle donated — it will be auctioned later this month, too.

A recycle-ready Oldsmobile Intrigue will ensure a steady-on donation for Pacific Assistance Dogs Society, too!

New charities jump on board our program every day. There is good reason for that: donors like you having the freedom to give where you care are number one. Secondly, it means irreplaceable donation dollars.

I want to give to a Canadian wildlife cause

There are so many ways to tend our earth and our wilds! Your regional charity will benefit from your time, your social media shares, and even from your gifts-in-kind. Visit your nearby charity’s web page and find their “Ways to Donate” information.

‘Ready to go big and donate your unused or unwanted vehicle? Here are some of the causes we currently work alongside:

Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area

Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation

Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

BC Parks Foundation

Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS)

Critter Care Wildlife Society

Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society

Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc.

Hope for Wildlife Society

Kawartha Wildlife Centre

Lake Winnipeg Foundation

Medicine River Wildlife Centre

Northern Lights Wildlife Society

Northwest Wildlife Preservation Society

Nova Scotia Nature Trust

Oceans Initiative

Peregrine Falcon Recovery Project (Manitoba)

Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre

Shades of Hope Wildlife Refuge

The Land Between

TLC The Land Conservancy of British Columbia

Toronto Wildlife Centre

World Wildlife Fund Canada

Zoocheck

My charity isn’t on your list

If you wish to donate a car for animals and don’t see the cause you wish to support on our list, no problem! We are at-the-ready to serve any Canadian charity. It’s possible that if you visit your charity they already have us linked somewhere on their website. If you can’t find the link, let us know…or reach out to your charity to let them know of your hope to donate your vehicle.

Once we’re connected with them we can get the work done to set them up with their own vehicle donation program. No cost to them. No cost to you. Big benefits to you, your charity, and critters across the country!

It’s as easy as 1-2-3 to donate a car for animals

Whether you’re in a major centre like Toronto or Vancouver, or caring for our coasts out East, your charity welcomes your car donation. Truck, van, SUV, car, or motorcycle — every vehicle makes a difference. And in every province, too!

You might already be a fan of Vic the Vulture. He flapped his way into our hearts awhile back, thanks to donors like you and their conservation charity of choice.

Whatever inspires you to give to Canadian wildlife conservation, we are here to make the process as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Fill in our online form. It will take less than 10 minutes and can be done by clicking the big red button below. If you’d rather talk to a funny human, just call in during business hours to 1-877-250-4904!
2. Wait for your phone to ring. Our towing agent will call you to arrange your free tow.
3. Watch that inbox for your tax receipt!

We are so excited to serve you and your charity of choice!

The post Beagles to Bears & Beyond | Donate a Car for Animals appeared first on Donate A Car.

When television entertains and inspires

Do you turn the TV on to tune out reality? Yeah. Me too. I love to get lost in all kinds of story telling — SciFi, murder mysteries, drama, sitcoms. If it’s done right, I’m in! Must Love Dogs (now streaming on CBC Gem) is a combination of drama, humour, and a purpose-filled call to action.

Sprinkled with a whole lot of adorability and good dose of animal justice, this is one show that might be a cozy watch on warm spring evenings.

“Must love dogs” is a mantra we see in our charities daily

Vehicle donations have being going to the dogs for 20 years around here. Because folx give where they care, animal shelters, SPCA charities, and humane societies are often selected as a vehicle donor’s charity of choice.

We know that vehicle donors must love dogs! Whether it’s one beloved Lumina, or multiple vehicles over time, vehicle donors give-give-give for critter care.

Caring for critters in all the ways

“It’s hard to give up the van (we are very sentimental about it), but my husband and I are so happy that the funds can be donated to Funds for Furry Friends. Because we adopt senior dogs and of our fur babies came from them, we know they are a wonderful group who foster dogs in home settings.”

J and B came to us from remote Manitoba with a ’97 Astro and the wish to help the cause they love. J offered that she wished the donation to be made in honour of two of their rescue pooches. She reminded us, “If there are no dogs in heaven, I want to go where the dogs go.” ~ Will Rogers

Paws together for humane society vehicle donors

Can you relate?

For over two decades, humane society car donors have been helping critters. In every province in Canada, vehicles raise valuable donation dollars. And boy-oh-boy, do these charities know how to stretch a buck!

Giving to your local shelter, rescue, and SPCA is a simple process. Moreover, it will never cost you or your charity a penny!

‘Don’t see your Must Love Dogs rescue on our charities list? No problem. Just let us know. Then, we will make sure the charity you love (any one in Canada) receives your donation!

Click or call in to donate — it’s quick, easy, free

Click the giant red button on our home page to donate to your local humane society today. Or, call in to 1-877-250-4904. We are happy to help in person! You will have the option to choose any charity from our receiving list — including those who are directly caring for your furry friends and family.

Not quite ready to donate? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to get an overall feel for how we care for each other and our charities here. You are welcome in this caring community!

The post Must Love Dogs | Dog Rescue Car Donation Style! appeared first on Donate A Car.

Digging in the dirt

You know that February feeling: your whole body and brain start wishing for (aching for?) sun, for warmth. You just want to get outside. I start sticking my fingers in the back garden dirt somewhere around the beginning of March. Is the ground thawed yet? Is it now? How about now?

We start watching for signs that the world around is shifting from winter freeze to blossom and greenery and light. And then that day comes. The earth has warmed enough that winter’s deadfall can be raked from the yard. The gardens are ready for a little loosening of soil. It’s too soon to plant, but not to soon to prepare.

Beyond the backyard

There’s a bit of the mystical in the turning of this season. Tackling some home and vehicle maintenance projects. Working the earth. Cleaning out corners. It’s not a leap to start thinking about some of life’s deeper questions. We might begin to see things more clearly — in brighter colors. Even the things we typically keep tucked away internally.

This is where we start to think about what we’re really hoping for from life. We think differently about relationships (maybe even feel a little Twitterpated?). We might feel a bit more adventurous and begin to consider travelling further afield. Spring has the potential for wonderment.

Taking time for Spring

This season, just when I’d typically gear up — energized by newness and planting and scrubbing — I’m practicing slowing down. Seeing. Looking closely at the soil and the rocks that I love so much. Acknowledging the miraculous-science of every green sprout. Especially the hardy little peeps that are already braving air above earth. Being grateful for the garage that needs power washing. Making space in cluttered cupboards. And making space in a cluttered mind.

There’s no formula to this. No self-help book. ‘Just a little bit of practicing: what do I see? Right now. In front of me. My son? Maybe the Goodness that he carries so comfortably? I might notice that the swallows did their first fly-by yesterday. They’re just checking to see if we still have rooms for rent this year. We sure do! I could be reminded that we haven’t had sickness in our home for long months, and that when difficulties do come, we have friends close-by. Or I could take a moment for poetry?

New life straight ahead

Here’s to Spring bringing vibrancy and hope into your (no doubt!) busy and sometimes beleaguered days. For what it’s worth, internet stranger, you have permission to take deep, deep breaths. To pause. Come awake to whatever version of beauty you have right in front of you. To engage with that newness. Maybe even enjoy it all?

Enough fluff! I need more practical spring maintenance!

Needing a little less introspection and a little more get at ‘er? If you’re looking to clear the yard or driveway of an unused, unwanted vehicle, we’ve got you sorted! Click below to donate, or call in to 1-877-250-4904. We’ll get you set up with your free tow and you’ll have one less thing to tend to as you enjoy your Springtime!

The post Spring Maintenance appeared first on Donate A Car.

Signs of Spring are everywhere. Between a few little cold snaps, I’ve spotted gophers, flies, motorcyclists, and the ultimate sign: our first robin!

Rabbits and streetsweepers

As I sit (on the deck…in the sunshine) rambling on, a street sweeper is taking his initial swipe at our gravel-strewn street. The family of wild rabbits that makes their home under the neighbors’ deck is scampering wildly around the yard. And the neighbor’s dog is going nuts over those same bunnies.

The mama skunk that has been prowling the hood (I tracked her for miles in the freshly fallen snow the other day) has happily claimed pretty much everyone’s front porch in her mafia-like landgrab. Who’s going to argue with her? She and I had an encounter on our walking path just the other day. There’s only one way in and one way out of this particular stretch of green space. I was attempting to make my way out. She wanted in. I froze. She froze. And we both, wordlessly and simultaneously, gave each other a very wide berth.

Signs of spring…in the garage

Just about now we all start feeling a little Marie Kondo need to find some joy-through-purging, scrubbing, and expunging. I’ve gone through closets and cupboards and basement corners. How we accumulate so.much.stuff in such little time I do not know. But we do. And every year it’s gotta’ go.

The garage is always the last place to get any attention, right? In fact, it’s the spot I purge everything out into! The floor is caked in everything from mud to salt to some reluctant-to-go ice. There are tires for multiple vehicles, bins full of goodness-knows-what, and a “work bench” where zero work occurs, and lots of work-ish bits and bobs build up.

Get that clunker out of the way

If maneuvering around a project car is making the garage clean-up crazy-making, consider donating? Many of us have tired old vehicles just taking up space in the garage, or on the driveway. We had good intentions to fix ’em, but is it worth it? We’ve hem’d and haw’d, weighing the cost of fixing against the value of the vehicle. If it’s costing you more to keep it, it may be that its re-sale or recycle value would be more meaningful to your charity of choice than the sentimental value of the car to you?

Whatever the signs of spring in your back yard or garage, some warm sun and the beginnings of green and growing things are sure to give us all a boost in the month ahead. Here’s to a successful clean up, and lots of time to enjoy the wake-up weeks of the world around us.

The post Signs of Spring in Canada appeared first on Donate A Car.

National Volunteer Week

If you have dollars to give, hooboy does your charity of choice ever need them now. Please give. But if finding two cents to rub together is the joke of the day? Share of yourself in a different way. This coming week, charities across Canada are honouring humans that help! Volunteer Canada notes, “Participating, contributing and volunteering helps to create connections, community and belonging.”

Canadian charities function in no small part because of the folks who believe in, and give their time to, them. Around here we have the happy luck of seeing the effects of this across the country. As April has unfolded we have seen hundreds of charity posts spreading gratitude for their volunteers.

Folks like you and I are at-the-ready to fix, haul, create, sort, drive, cook, sing, or slop out a horse stall. We clean riverbanks and transport wildlife. Some babysit and others run whole summer camps. We offer compassionate care in cancer clinics and diabetes classes. Some bravely champion human rights.

The Mayo Clinic gives us some clues about why this kind of caring keeps us coming back for more:

1. Volunteering improves physical and mental health.

2. It provides a sense of purpose and teaches valuable skills.

3. And it can nurture new and existing relationships.

Looking for a place to start your own volunteer experience?

Our little team here loves working alongside vehicle donors. Our business serves Canada-wide in this one specific way. In our down time we find places to give back by supporting the causes we personally love, too. For me, this comes in a couple of different shapes. For example, I sing in a “memory choir”. This unique non-profit is set up to match volunteers with folks living with memory loss in the form of dementia or Alzheimer’s. The science says that when we sing in community it’s super duper good for brain health and mental wellbeing. I have to admit, I joined the choir to volunteer for the sake of others, but the benefits for me have been unquantifiable!

Are you looking for a ready-made community built around volunteerism? This might be one place to start: “Volunteer Canada is leading the development of a comprehensive National Volunteer Action Strategy. That strategy will help to ensure that all people in Canada have pathways to participation that support the shifting ways people connect in their communities. We can support your organization with tools and resources to effectively engage community participation and support a broad range of diverse volunteers.”

A go-to hub for us here at Donate a Car Canada?

We LOVE CanadaHelps! Did you know that they champion over 80,000 charities on their website? If you already have a clear focus for where you would like to give your time and creativity, CanadaHelps can point you in the direction of the group or organization that needs you!

You can even take a boo at our “Charities” tab on our own home page. There you’ll find hundreds of charities that need Unique You. ‘Love animals? Your local SPCA or wildlife conservancy would love your support. ‘Drawn to hospital care? There’s a place for you with your local foundation. The same goes for libraries, health-based charities, and children’s groups. Volunteer with seniors, the theatre, or literacy advocates. Whatever caring cause you love, there’s a place for you.

Whether you are an individual, a faith group, a book club, or a business team, this is your time. Get out there and show Canada what you’ve got this National Volunteer Week!

The post Creative Giving | Pockets Full of Holes? Volunteer! appeared first on Donate A Car.

What happens when I donate a vehicle?

First, we have live humans answering an actual phone line every day (1-877-250-4904)! That noted, many folks call in whilst in the middle of the important decision: Should they sell a vehicle privately? Should they donate it for the charity they love?

A beautiful extension of the Donate a Car Canada program is that when you donate your unused, unwanted vehicle, you can choose ANY Canadian charity to gift. The net proceeds from the re-sale/recycling of your car, truck, van, SUV, or motorcycle goes directly to the charity.

There are zero costs or tasks left to the charity. We manage all aspects of the donation process. CanadaHelps manages the actual receipting process. This allows your chosen cause to continue doing the work they’re missioned with — no distractions!

And what about you? How is it good for you? Beyond the joy of giving (which you know is a happy buzz!), there are a few key wins:

Your free tow

Within hours of completing your donation form, one of our agents will call you to arrange free pick up of your vehicle. These crews are highly adaptive and will work with you to serve within the time frame that serves you best. These professionals know their stuff. They’ll assist with everything from proper registration paperwork and transfer of ownership to the care and keeping of your property when they come for the vehicle.

That tax receipt

Once your vehicle is picked up and re-sold or recycled, it’s just a matter of accounting completion. You will be kept apprised of where things are at in your process all along the way, including letting you know when your gift has actually been disbursed to your charity of choice. The receipt will arrive to your inbox shortly thereafter. You’ll receive a link for accessing copies of the tax receipt if your original is somehow misplaced, too. And we’ll be a click, an email, or a phone call away if you have any questions about this process at any point along the way.

The reassurance that this service is here for the long haul

Donate a Car has been at this for 20 years! Many vehicle donors return twice, three times, or many-many more! We’ve had business fleet vehicle donors come back one year after another to donation a handful of vehicles at a time. Others experience a change in family circumstances. We have carefully tended process around estate vehicle donation and other extenuating circumstances. We are a personalized, compassionate, and joy-filled service. Honouring each donor and their gift as unique is what we do!

So, why would I opt to sell a vehicle privately instead?

Dollars to donuts, if you sell a vehicle privately you may see a slightly stronger dollar amount than will be reflected in a vehicle donation tax receipt. There are few reasons for this:

When re-selling a vehicle through auction or via another bidding process, agents simply do not see Blue/Black Book values. This is often because the sales reflect what the precise current market will support.

There are some fees incurred in the running of the business end of things. Donate a Car Canada is a business that serves from coast to coast. We keep our costs low through several key means: our team is lean, and we all work from home. Because we are an online service, our running supplies are also minimal. That said, we do have employees (the reason you can talk to a funny and fabulous human when you call in, and you’ll get a personal note when you email).

Our agents cannot afford to donate their truck, fuel, and staff costs. Some of the value of the vehicle will need to go to the agent providing service. The cost of business for ourselves and for our agents are a factor in the donation outcome.

Simplifying life one vehicle at a time

If times are tight and pennies are pinched, the choice to sell a vehicle privately may be the route for you. But if there’s some wiggle room in the budget, donation may be the perfect service for you! One way of assessing that is considering how “full” your own bottle is. If your bills are met, you have the freedom to pick up a coffee from time to time, and maybe a vacation is in the plans, donation may be one way for you to extend care in your community.

If the bills are well in hand, trips are a no-brainer, and there’s lots of room to give in the bank account, giving in this way might be an easy Yes!

So, if you’re done with it, do good with it! The process is simple, quick, and free! If you have more questions, pop over to our FAQ’s. If you’d rather talk to one of our team, find us at 1-877-250-4904, Monday – Friday, 9:00 – 5:00 MT.

The post Sell a Vehicle Privately, or Donate it? appeared first on Donate A Car.

Growing hope and sustaining kindness one choice at a time

How do you keep your attention focused on hope and human kindness when surrounded by instability and uncertainty? Have you noticed that you have a whole lot of agency in some parts of your life? You may be experiencing considerable lack of control in others?

What are your go-to activities, practices, and hobbies you engage in when you need to bolster your (or your loved ones) outlook?

“Hope” is the thing with feathers

~ Emily Dickinson

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –

Sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.

The Canadian charities keeping hope alive

Charities like the Canadian Cancer Society help hope bloom! You likely already know that April is Daffodil Month! Every year, the CCS shares their brightly-coloured floral campaign inviting us to give, volunteer, and support folks living with cancer.

While not every charity is literally bloomin’ flowers, thousands (and we do mean 1,000’s!) of helping organizations are fostering resilience and determination.

They do this by building houses, filling fridges, fostering literacy, providing shelter, and caring for critters of every shape and size. ‘Need a quick dopamine zot? Spend a few hours volunteering at your local animal shelter. Join a walk-run-ride for your charity of choice! Engage your local theatre. Experience the robust earth caring efforts of your local conservation group.

Is anything so effective in bolstering faith in humanity than participating in helping and community?

Here’s where to start looking for inspiration

Remember those thousands of helping organizations? There is nothing quite so inspiring as exploring site after site showcasing the remarkable groups whose mission it is to just make the world a better place!

Have you heard of CanadaHelps? This is the go-to site to begin hope building. You might start your who’s-who of human kindness search with their list of 86,000 charities. You read that right! Or, get behind their “Cause Funds”. These are clusters of groups rallying behind similar causes. Join a local community of like-minded humans compassionately working toward very good ends! Or, if your wish is to make a difference related to an urgent, crisis situation, they have a link for that, too!

So, begin your exploration today. Perhaps there will be hope and motivation to be found in previously unexplored places.

The post Help Hope Bloom | Cancer Care and More appeared first on Donate A Car.

How Artemis II and her crew inspire

As I write these few words about inspiring humans, I’m getting a little education on how the Artemis II crew is to be transported from their craft to the medical bay. They’re about to fill their lungs with Earth air once again. Feet firmly planted on our little orb, they’ll turn their attention toward helping their bodies readjust to the pull of gravity.

The crew is comprised of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen (Oh, Canada!). If you’re like me, you’ve likely been a bit taken up with the many messages that have been beamed down to us from journey. Messages of integrity, togetherness, compassion, and achievement.

Waiting hopefully-expectantly for them to safely poke their noses out into Earth’s sea air feels like we’re, somehow, all connected by those messages.

Messages like…

Koch: “We will explore. We will build.” She goes on, “We will build ships. We will visit again.” Then, “We will construct science outposts. We will drive rovers.” And, “We will do radio astronomy. We will found companies.” Finally, “We will bolster industry. We will inspire. But ultimately, we will always choose Earth. We will always choose each other.”

Then, Glover: “Trust us, you look amazing, you look beautiful. And from up here, you also look like one thing. Homo sapiens, all of us, no matter where you’re from or what you look like, we’re all one people.“

Hansen: “As we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so in honoring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration. We will continue our journey even further into space before Mother Earth succeeds in pulling us back to everything that we hold dear. But we most importantly choose this moment to challenge this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long-lived.”

And lastly, Wiseman: “No matter how long we look at this, our brains are not processing this image in front of us. It is absolutely spectacular, surreal. I know there’s no adjectives. I’m going to need to invent some new ones to describe what we are looking at out this window.”

Our global community and reaching for the stars

The Artemis II mission is, these intrepid explorers have often noted, the outcome of ingenuity and effort be hundreds of people. People working together in concert, across nations. Then putting ingenuity and effort into inspirational execution.

(As I write, mission control has taken the microphone. In the background you can hear the cacophony of humanity working, waiting, expecting, and thinking ahead. Furthermore, even as they await the transport of The Four via army transport helicopters to med support, mission control is already talking about missions yet to come!)

Artemis missions “to the moon and beyond” will be the effort of women and men around the world.

Beyond Artemis II

Jubilation has just broken out at mission control as the first crew member emerged from Integrity. The rousing and inspiring success of this mission will compel the NASA program forward for decades to come.

Our Canadian representative on board, Jeremy Hansen, has proven to be a joyful sage at every grip of the mic. Leading up to departure, and in flight, his commentary has been both playful and evocative. Instructing us to “live in our integrity,” he often notes the Anishinaabe seven sacred teachings (respect, love, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility, truth) that are represented on his flight patch.

These are values we can all lean into, hey? These are the values that pulse through humanity — the very best of who we are in individually, and in community. The very best of who we can be even while our feet are firmly planted on terra firma. Hansen’s gentle challenge to himself, then to his children, and out beyond to all of us, is to live deeply into the best of who we all can be. A sage call to lovingkindness that resounds, now, to the moon and back.

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