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.

The post Mooning Over Artemis II | We’re All One People appeared first on Donate A Car.

Help hit the high notes: donate a vehicle for the arts

Is the curtain closing on your old Toyota?

‘That old Dodge ready for it’s swan song?

Susan’s 2010 Nissan Murano was ready to come off the road. The driver’s door latch and lock mechanisms were broken. Its passenger window was stuck, and the trunk refused to open. A dead battery and flat tires, plus a few cosmetic injuries, all added up to the old thing’s last call. A free tow and a tax receipt later, and $400.00 was capably gifted to the donor’s charity of choice, Theatre Direct Canada!

Whether your unused, unwanted vehicle is ready for it’s finale, or just waiting for its encore performance, your local arts charity will benefit from it! We’ll have your car, van, SUV, truck, or motorcycle re-sold or recycled for dramatic donation dollars!

When we say any arts charity, we do many any!

Here are a few of the Canadian arts-focused charities that are currently receiving vehicle donations through our program:

Alberta Theatre Projects              

               Buddies in Bad Times Theatre    

               Calgary Young People’s Theatre Society  

               Factory Theatre

               Green Fools Theatre Society

               Kittiwake Dance Theatre Inc.                                                   

               One Yellow Rabbit Theatre Association   

               Punctuate! Theatre        

               Rosebud Centre of the Arts

               Tarragon Theatre

               The Metropolitan Cooperative Theatre Society                  

               Theatre Direct Canada   

               Theatre Orangeville

               Verb Theatre Society

               Young People’s Theatre

Wait! Here are a few more that really sing…and add a splash of colour, too:

Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund

Make Music Matter

Royal Conservatory of Music

The Legacy Children’s Foundation

Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery

artsPlace – Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation

Calgary Allied Arts Foundation

OrKidstra

‘Don’t see your crew or choir on the list? Visit CanadaHelps to get a more comprehensive glance at your options. Or, simply submit your vehicle for donation: we’ll get your charity of choice set up with us in no time!

Keeping the flood lights up

When you donate a vehicle for the arts it will always be free for you and your charity. We will make the process simple, quick, and friendly, too!

Follow these 3 easy steps to donate a car:

First, click the big red button here:

The form you find there will take you less than 10 minutes to fill in. Trouble with the form? We are here to help! Call in to 1-877-250-4904 to talk to a cheerful, funny, very efficient human!

Next, wait for your phone to ring. Our agent will call to arrange pick-up of your donated vehicle.

Finally, it’s time to receive your tax receipt! Once your donated vehicle has been re-sold or recycled, we will receive payment for it. Then, CanadaHelps will issue your tax receipt on behalf of whichever charity you have chosen.

Not quite ready to let go of that ol’ car?

Find and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. There you will be able to keep up-to-date on posts. We love to showcase amazing donors and charities in every province in Canada!

Then, when you’re ready sometime down the road, we’ll be just a click or a call away.

The post Donate a Vehicle for The Arts appeared first on Donate A Car.

Whether you’re donating a Porsche or a Pontiac…

…your vehicle donation makes a difference!

Spend a few minutes on your social feeds today and you’ll see the need. Charities across Canada are making their individual pleas for end-of-year donations. Every dollar counts. Whatever the cause you care about, they need your support today. And if a tax receipt will be helpful for you, donate now so that you can claim your gift on your 2023 taxes!

Vehicle donation can result in a donation of thousands of dollars (read on for more!)! If your car, truck, van, or SUV is recycle-ready, the gift outcome will vary from province to province. And we do serve in every province in Canada!

Porsche Cayenne donation makes a little extra work add up to so many donation dollars!

This autumn, a very generous donor rolled into the program with his beautiful, auctionable Porsche! On paper, this looked like a pretty typical donation process. It turned out to be a bit more challenging than expected. A combination of issues including parking location and registration details made this a tricky one for our supporting auction agent.

The auction house worked diligently over many weeks. They secured the vehicle. Then, they did the capable and detailed work of ensuring all documentation and process were in place for the Porsche to be re-sold.

And sell it they did! Weeks of hard work and careful promotion resulted in a $33, 340.90 for the donor’s humanitarian relief charity of choice!

For you and your charity, this is simple, quick, and free!

You can donate your vehicle on behalf of any Canadian charity. They will not be charged a fee for our service. The tax receipt for your gift will be sent to you via CanadaHelps, so your charity doesn’t even need to worry about paperwork!

Your donation includes a free tow, too! Once we have your donation form (this will take you less than 10 minutes to complete), it’s all about making this as easy as possible for you. You’ll receive a call from your supporting tow agent. They will arrange pick-up timing that suits you well. Once they have your car, van, SUV, or motorcycle hauled for re-sale or recycling, it’s just a matter of time until your vehicle morphs into donation dollars!

When things go sideways…as they sometimes do…

Sometimes, as with our donated Porsche, things like pick-up location and vehicle registration can make things a little tricky. The happy news? We’ve got you! Over our two-decades-plus of donor and charity care, we’ve seen just about everything!

Underground parking on that non-runner? Some of our agents are outfitted to get ‘er done!

Out-of-Province registration? There are options! We will guide you in how to navigate that issue.

The bottom line is that we and our supporting agents, like you, want the highest donation possible for your chosen charity!

Your car, your charity of choice! We can’t wait to serve you and the cause you care about.

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Saturn stands out in triple car donation

Connor’s first car donation was actually not a Saturn. In honour of a family member with Diabetes, he donated a Toyota to a charity supporting people affected by the illness. “Donating to Diabetes Canada seemed like a good idea at the time; they’d been around for a long time and they do good work.” His recycle-ready Toyota contributed to the work of informing, researching, educating, and advocacy! What an impact for those touched by this far-reaching disease.

Then, along came Chester, a lovable shepherd mix. Chester is Connor’s rescue dog and he brings a lot of joy and tenderness to his new master.

Chester’s adoption was facilitated through the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew.

We give to the things that have our hearts, and Chester plus Alberta Animal Rescue Crew have Connor’s! This is where our first Saturn comes in: Connor donated the proceeds from two separate vehicles to the animal rescue that united him and his beloved pooch. How did that add up, you may ask? His vehicle donations resulted in over $1300.00 to the charity! A modest outcome of around $200.00 was earned for his ’01 Saturn when her transmission gave out. Then, the donation was beefed up with just over $1000.00 coming from the auctioning of his SUV.

Calgary donor’s Saturn | From bust to boom

Fast forward to this summer when we heard a common distress call,

“I had my Saturn in to (the shop) today for an oil change and a diagnostic for my Service Engine Soon light that recently appeared on my dashboard. Upon their diagnostic check, there was too much work that needed to be done to get the car safe to drive.

When I went to pick up my car this afternoon, after paying $420.00 for their services, I went to exit the parking lot, and my back rear brake line burst. I was able to pull out of the lot and immediately turned into what turned out to be shop’s detailing lot. I coasted into a parking spot.”

Now, our caller was in a pickle: the spot she’d coasted to was in a shared lot with a hotel. The Saturn needed a pick up. And fast!

“I would like to know if you can tow my car either tomorrow or the day after? You can give me a phone call at home, or send an email.”

Request received and responded to: Absolutely! The outstanding agents that serve in the Calgary area were right on it. Donor served. Charity of choice set to receive the gift!

And how did it all go for the donor?

“Your staff is amazing. Keep up the great work you do.”

~ C.K.

Saturn picked up two ways in Ontario

Whether your Saturn is re-sold or recycled, you can be sure of making a helpful impact for the charity you love.

One Distress Centre Ottawa donor in Ontario wrote,

It is suitable for Recycling. There are new parts on it, 1 year old winter tires. It is too old to invest in a new exhaust system. The car has not been on the road for a year.

No problem! Running, or not, donated cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans add up to big donation dollars for charities like the DCO. Just like that, the Distress Centre donor was set up with their free tow. They will receive their tax receipt in the next week, or two.

An Ontario Saturn Vue donor offered some reassuring feedback,

“The whole operation was painless.”

I mean, sometimes painless is all we need, right? You can expect speedy, cheerful, free donor support whenever you gift a charity with your vehicle. We sure do hope that will be painless every time!

Singing Saturn donors praises

Honour a beloved pet. Help the cause you care about. Retire an old cars; donate a vehicle that can be re-sold. The tried-and-true process here will serve you, whatever your motivation.

Connor’s generosity of spirit and his quiet diligence in doing good are reflected in vehicle donations in every province in Canada! 

Our Saturn donors will keep right on doing the good that they do. We will be right here, ready to serve them with gratitude! Moreover, we will keep the process simple, quick, and free for them.

Further to that, there is no cost to the charity you champion. Any and all of them will be able to continue the work(s) that only they can do. As our supervisor, Kirsten, said just this week, “We’re just here to help keep the wheels on the bus and the lights on!”

Help your caring cause today!

In just a few easy steps you’ll be on your way to turning your Saturn (running, or not) into donation dollars. First, click the button below. In a few minutes we’ll have your donation form. Next, you’ll get a call to set up your free tow. Then? You just sit back and wait for your tax receipt!

We look forward to serving you!

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Mazda donors go bonkers big

DAC: Good afternoon! Donate a Car Canada — How can I help?

Caller: Yeah…so…I’d like to donate my Mazda? How do I go about this?

And so it begins. One little phone call and you are on your way to your free tow! Your charity of choice? Well, they’re on their way to cash in hand for the heartwork they do — at no cost to them!

At the time of this writing, we’ve just processed one donor’s extraordinary six (6!) vehicle donation. Two of those cars? You guessed it: Mazdas. His charity of choice? The Alberta Cancer Foundation was the recipient of all six gifts!

Earlier in September, a 2012 Mazda 5 donation earned The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum a donation of $2022.00!

Last month, a 2002 Mazda MPV donor gifted The Alex Community Health Centre $568.69.

Why should I donate my Mazda?

Mazda donations come in all shapes and sizes. This year we’ve seen 3’s, 5’s, Proteges, Tributes, and MPVs. The list goes on. ‘Ever heard of a Mazda Bongo Friendee? I hadn’t either. A donor gifted one on behalf of CancerCare Manitoba back in December 2020. ‘Worth a little Google search, that one is!

The Mazda’s number one donation value enemy in Canada: rust.
Keeping drivers safe means that these chariots get rusted right out from underneath us.

If your Mazda is in rough shape it can still earn valuable charity dollars!

In great shape, it will earn more for the cause you love. We have re-sale agents coast to coast. Whenever we can, we keep cars out of the scrap yards by re-selling them for a higher charity returns!

If a vehicle cannot be re-sold, our agents will recycle the it. Donations for recycle-ready cars, vans, trucks, and SUVs vary from province to province. Each agent determines what they are able to pay for a vehicle based on curb weight, year/make/model/mileage, and the current metal market.

How can I donate my Mazda?

Donating your Mazda is quick and easy! Our charity choice sets us apart in this industry: we are set up to serve any Canadian charity! Your car, your cause! Our online form takes less than 10 minutes to fill out (be ready with the year/make/model/VIN and it’ll be a breeze). We gladly provide phone support (1-877-250-4904). It takes less than 15 minutes to do the form with us on the phone.

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. This is a community you want to be part of!

The post Mazda Wowza! What happens if I donate my Mazda? appeared first on Donate A Car.

Goodness. If you say it often enough, it doesn’t sound like a real word anymore. And in a world gone all wobbly and sideways, it’s easy to think that maybe “goodness” isn’t even a thing. If we’re looking for evidence that things have all gone to heck, well, there seems to be a growing body!

Evidence against

You don’t need reminders of all of the ways we know that Goodness is taking a thumping, hey? Have you been hacked lately, and threatened with recrimination if you don’t send money/call this number/set this straight right now? Or had your identity stolen? Maybe you’ve been victim to prejudice or shaming? Is the one who ought to love you best hurting you? Your body may not be cooperating and you could be feeling stuck and lonely. Friends fail us, money is tight, and the world-at-large feels like it’s equal parts dumpster fire and a volcano preparing to violently erupt. So much evidence for not-Goodness.

Evidence for Goodness

What to do? Who are we to be in the face of blaming and hating and self-promotion and ice that’s melting too fast? We don’t want to be blind to the world’s trouble. But we don’t want to be consumed by it either. So, what if we just, each one of us, do our little bit? What if we just determinedly and consistently do our own little bit of Good?

• Make a wholesome meal for your family. Safety and caring in our own homes matters.
• Read. Expanding our perspective and thinking our own deep thoughts is grounding.
• Believe. Aligning ourselves with authentic, thoughtful, experiential Goodness takes an effort of heart and mind.
• Work at doing the good you do. Watch for opportunities to act justly and compassionately. This is no time for us to be lazy about this stuff.
• Listen for the story beneath the story beneath the story: it’s easy to dismiss and to judge when we’re not listening to each other. We’re all in this together — whether we like it or not.
• Just be. Take a breather from the glut of information and streaming and hope-bludgeoning media. Be with people you love; be someone people want to love. The truest, strongest, most vibrant you (you come from innocence). You are enough.

Keep it up!

Everything is (probably) going to be okay. If you do your small bit, and I do mine, odds are good that love will win the day. Let’s take care of each other, care for the earth, and companion the vulnerable — we’ll make it through with Goodness intact.

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100 years of healthy living is no longer that unusual

Emily Brandon of US News.com notes,

Nationwide, the centenarian population has grown 65.8 percent over the past three decades, from 32,194 people who were age 100 or older in 1980 to 53,364 centenarians in 2010, according to new Census Bureau data.

The Queen Mum, George Burns, and Bob hope all made it to their 100th birthday (and beyond). For a fascinating look at the world of Science and its centarians, read “23 Great Scientists Who Lived to be 100“. Great minds doing great work for a good long time!

Seniors and the arts

The New York Times Style Magazine has a great article that includes a sneak peek at a coming documentary entitled “The 100 Years Show.” The article notes,

Alison Klayman (known most recently for “Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry”), an exclusive clip from which premieres above. In it, Herrera makes the case for artists not talking too much about their work: “You cannot talk about art; you have to art about art,” she says, smiling (and lightly pounding a desk for emphasis).

Who Turns 100 Years Old in 2017?

Girl Scout Cookies and the World Book Encyclopedia both turned 100 years old this year. General Electric, Coca-Cola, Smuckers, UPS, and Boeing will all hit the mark in 2017 as well! Check out Lydia Belanger’s robust Entrepreneur article, “Why These 10 Companies Turning 100 or Older in 2017 Still Matter” for more on each of those companies and so much more.

Working alongside Canadian seniors, one car at a time

Here at Donate a Car we have the opportunity to witness many Canadians doing a lot of good. Many donors are seniors who are looking at making changes to their driving habits. These are hard working folks whose vehicle donation is one more generosity in a life-time of acts of kindness.

Providing a free tow and making all donation arrangements is a big help when mobility is compromised. We’re happy to take donations over the phone. We can usually have everything in order and ready for a tow assignment within 10 minutes. We’re also happy to take extra time to talk with our senior donors. We value their stories and their unique circumstances.

We also take time throughout the donation process. If there is confusion about what order things will occur in, if schedules change, or if a little clarity is needed, we are delighted to ensure a great donation experience.

We are also sensitive to the reality that some of our senior donors have loved ones facilitating their donation for health reasons. Estate donations are also easily arranged — a welcome simplicity when managing all of the ins-and-outs of doing the work of executor or executrix. We are ready and available to assist with this as well!

Our centenarian donor was a delight to work alongside on behalf of his chosen charity. The Lion’s Gate Hospital received a gift of over $900.00 in his name! We look forward to the daily privilege of many more such gifts!

The post 100 Years Old – Will You Live to be a Centenarian? appeared first on Donate A Car.

“Dad has been moved into a nursing home.” These are familiar words as our senior donors navigate the unsettling life change of relinquishing their car keys. Families lovingly tend the emotional work of managing a loved one’s estate.

Letting go of a vehicle is not easy. Your role in supporting your Mom or Dad with what feels like the loss of independence is a weighty one, too!

Stories of the old jalopy that was used to teach the kids to drive often emerge at the time of donation. Tales of a motorhome that travelled coast to coast are noted. The boats that have given several generations many joyful memories shout reminders of the heart, humor, and love that the independence of a driver’s license and a set of keys can afford. It can be a healing and heartening thing to honor Mum or Dad by seeing their old car’s next ride benefit a charity that has been meaningful. Furthermore, this is testament to the memories and relationships their vehicle represents.

Alzheimer Society Benefits from Car Donations

This Spring and Summer, our Alzheimer Society donor families have had some exciting outcomes. A 2011 Cadillac provided a $14,195.00 gift to Alzheimer Society Toronto. The Ottawa chapter received $9853.36 for an ‘09 Econoline! Moreover, just under $3000.00 was sent to AS in BC for an ‘07 Calibre!

Learn more about the support that is available to your family through the AS!  Visit them here to learn about early stages of Alzheimer’s, strategies for living well with the disease.

You and your car bring the caring!

Did you know you can choose any Canadian charity for your car donation! In addition, we will take care of the ins-and-outs of arranging for the family car to find it’s new home. Everything is managed for you from this side. Not only that, our agents will be sensitive to your particular situation, and to the needs of your loved one. This while capably arranging your free tow. From there it’s just a matter of sending the donation on to your family’s chosen charity as we honor Mum or Dad by seeing their donated vehicle go on to help, teach, or contribute to research!

Your donated vehicle will be either re-sold or recycled. This is determined by year, make/model, mileage, and wear and tear. We will communicate with you at every turn so you know just where things are at in the process. Not only that, you’ll be able to contact us or the tow agent if ever you need to.

Give us a call at 1-877-250-4904, and click here to donate today:

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