Fighting hunger one car at a time

Every vehicle donation counts. Every one! And last week the Calgary Food Bank reached out to talk about just how much car donations help food banks:

“Thanks to generous community members like you, the lives of over 290,000 individuals were improved last year.”

Car, truck, van, SUV, and motorcycle donors like you helped raise thousands of donation dollars for the charity!

“Your support helps provide fresh, healthy foods…To have community members join us in ensuring no Calgarian goes hungry is truly humbling. We are incredibly grateful and fortunate to have you as part of our team!”

Car donations help food banks by turning your clunker into canned goods!

So, how does this work exactly? Your local food bank is accepting all kinds of donations! Canned goods, hygiene products, fresh foods, breads. Visit the food insecurity charity in your town to find their wish list.

Cool, hard cash is always welcome. Your local volunteers and charity staff can stretch food dollars by making bulk purchases. Giving money goes a long, long way to helping combat hunger!

And then there’s giving in other ways. This is where we come in: your donated vehicle will be transformed into a monetary gift! We do this by either re-selling or recycling your unused/unwanted vehicle. The net proceeds from the sale are sent to your charity of choice. There is no cost to them for this care! Free for you; free for your charity!

Click the red button below. This will take you to your donation form (it will take less than 10 minutes to fill this out). Once we have your submission things will move smoothly and easily. We will connect you with your free-tow agent. Then, you will simply wait for your tax receipt. Quick, simple, free!

You are also invited to contact and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! From there, you’ll be able to keep up to date on our program as well as see posts that showcase our amazing donors and charities across the country!

The post Do Car Donations Help Food Banks? appeared first on Donate A Car.

Paying it forward…or back…

A Calgary Food Bank donor connected excitedly to give us details about the family car. The car was getting on in years, and had served the family well. Would we consider auctioning it? His reasons were simple, “It is a pleasure to give back to the food bank that fed my family for the first 3 months when we first came to Canada as new immigrants.“

The Calgary Food Bank will surprise you with the (creative!) services they provide. Our Honda donor had good reason for choosing to give back to this work!

In 2019-20 the CFB cranked out 1,356 creative initiatives. These raised $3.4 million in funds and 1.8 million pounds of food.

They have food hampers and community gardens. They rescue food! I mean, This. This is beautiful: between September 2019 and August 2020 they rescued $26,809,910 worth of food (that’s 10, 311, 504 pounds)!

Visit their website, find them on Face Book, and give your local food bank some love. They are helping in very real and very timely ways.

From auction block to lunch box

We are careful about how we assign donated cars, trucks, vans, and motorcycles. Like you, we want to see the highest dollar outcome for each charity. Our experience, our agents, and the ever-fluctuating market direct us in this.

Can the car be re-sold? If the mileage is below 200,000 kms and she’s lookin’ good, we can likely auction or re-sell. Running strong, less than 10 years old? The auction block and buyer buzz will have us on track for strong donation dollars.

If the vehicle is recycle-ready (she’s tired and grumpy and wants off the road), no problem. We have agents that will manage vehicles in virtually any condition. As long as it is intact (no parts missing, please!), and has 4 tires, it’s donation-worthy!

In the case of our small car donor, it was auction time. In less than two weeks, our donor’s car went from submission form to auction platform. And…SOLD! For a donation outcome of over $1,000.00!

This gift will be sent to the Calgary Food Bank this month-end. From submission form, to auction platform, to lunchbox. It’s just that easy!

Goodness is how Canadians roll

We have a series of emails that we use to keep donors in the loop on their donation process. Our CFB donor has been excitedly tracking his step-by-step process, “Thank you for making my dream of touching lives come true.” And that’s it, right? We all really do want to bring a little gentleness and support into each others’ lives.

Your local food bank is one simple way to contribute to your community directly.

Perhaps you and your family are experiencing food insecurity in these wobbly times?

The Calgary Food Bank advises,

“Please call 403-253-2055 to request your emergency food hamper. You must call first as hamper distribution is by appointment only.

Be prepared: we will ask some personal questions like income and basic expenses. This includes government/income supports, rent, mortgage, utilities, childcare, and medical.

Once you have called and been approved for a food hamper, our volunteers will book a you a specific time to pick-up your hamper. Hampers can be picked-up at our main location or one of our satellite locations.

You can validate your IDs virtually making it possible for a Third Party (family member, friends, volunteers, other delivery service etc) to pick-up your hamper in a more timely, safe, and convenient manner.  Find out more information about the process.“

Free tow and donation in 10 minutes

‘Ready to donate your car, truck, van, or motorcycle? Our donation form takes 10 minutes to fill out (it’s easier than setting up an online shopping membership!). Your free tow will happen in a timely manner (typically within 1-5 business days). And from there it’s just a matter of accounting and getting that gift to your charity of choice. Easy, quick, and so good for the cause you love!

The post Calgary Food Bank appeared first on Donate A Car.

Charity Care | Donor Care

Just this morning our company head forwarded our giving-focused team two separate letters of thanks. CancerCare Manitoba, and the Calgary Food Bank both reached out with personalized gratitude for the five-digit donations they received through car donors in 2020. They are just two of hundreds of happy charities!

It is also the weekly norm for us to receive a 5 star review on Google. There, donors helpfully provide feedback about the service they received.

Charity and donor care are our heart work here at Donate a Car Canada. Every donation dollar counts for boots-on-the-ground Canadian causes. Each vehicle has its own merits. And the donors behind those gifts receive personalized care.

This individualized care comes with unique parameters coast to coast.

Re-selling donated cars

Re-sale is one of our options for Canadian car donations. Every vehicle is assessed on its own merit. If a car/truck/motorcycle is less than 10 years old and in good running condition we aim to sell it to the highest bidder. This happens via our regional agents.

That means that your donated vehicle will be assigned to an agent near you. This generates business in your part of Canada. Our experienced agents reach out to area buyers to let them know what they have available on their lots. They have their eyes on your prize and know how to price and sell. And we’ve partnered with them for a reason: they care about Canadian charities, too!

Recycling Canadian car donations

Many Canadian car donations are recycle-ready. A big impact on these donated cars? Salty roads. This is especially true in Ontario. Keeping Eastern drivers safe can mean that their chariots get rusted right out from underneath them.

For example, this means that a typical Mazda in Ontario isn’t likely to stay on the road for more than 10 years. This can mean an assignment to the recycle process. On the other hand, a rust-proofed and cared-for ride may bring in thousands of dollars through re-sale.

As with our re-sale process, agents individually assess recycle-ready vehicles. Our donations returns on these cars is dependent on what the current market dictates. This dollar outcome adjusts with the market.

Weather

Just as salt is an issue out East, mold is unique to the Maritimes and BC. If you live on either end of our great country, you know that moisture gets into our cars. There it takes on a life all its own! This is no problem for our recyclers. A free tow and a market-reflective dollar outcome are still available for you and your charity.

Collisions resulting from icy prairie roads can result in some dented metal. Wishing all drivers safe, we can easily process damaged vehicles on behalf of charity.

So, who are you again?

We are not Canada’s most visible car donation program. Here, you’ve found Donate a Car Canada.

A donor and I had an email conversation about this just yesterday evening. Giving generously on behalf of Crohn’s and Colitis the donor wondered 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!

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 nap from time-to-time). We’re looking forward to working alongside you on behalf of the cause you love!

The post Canadian Car Donations appeared first on Donate A Car.

How do cash donations compare to food donations at your local ‘bank? Is one method of giving more efficient than the other?

I want to help…what now?

With an unusual Christmas season on the horizon, you may be wondering about how to support your local food bank. We are right with you: What is the best method of supporting our hungry neighbors?

The simple answer: the best method is the one that fits your budget and your style of giving.

In 2017, Tania Kohut offered some insight into this in her article, “Cans or Cash, How to best help your local foodbank.” In it she notes that there are advantages to both kinds of giving. While monetary gifts in good hands can ensure fresh goods, the canned and non-perishables we supply at the local grocery store fill needs, too.

Ms. Kohut goes on to say that dollars and gift cards are more popular now than in the past. Food bank giving in this form does allow volunteers to purchase with precision. What is missing from the shelf? What is most needed? Gift cards and cash accommodate these needs.

On the other hand, the need for staples never goes away. If we are able, purchasing an extra quantity of an item that we’re already buying for ourselves is a help. ‘Drop an extra can or two into the food bank bin at the grocery store!

If vehicle donation is an option

…then look no further! Donate a Car Canada works alongside 15 unique food bank programs. Simply click on our Charities link and type “food bank” into the search field. A vehicle donation here will ensure a monetary gift to your chosen charity. Just this week one of our donated vehicles sold for a donation outcome of over $2,000.00 for a local food bank. This is a timely contribution as needs mount across the country.

Your donated vehicle may be recycle-ready and may not hit the $1,000.00+ mark, but every gift counts. $30.00 – $300.00 can fill a shelf with fresh food when in the hands of a capable shopper.

If your area food bank is not listed on our charities page, reach out. Through your vehicle donation it may be possible to invite them to join our program. If so, they will be listed as a giving option for donors across Canada, all year long!

Ready to make a difference in your own way? We are, too! One loaf of bread, one mindful consideration, and one vehicle donation at a time. Here’s to a season where no Canadian goes hungry.

The post Food Bank |Cash or Cauliflower? appeared first on Donate A Car.

The vision of your local food bank is to see a Canada where no one goes hungry. They work to relieve and prevent hunger every day, from coast to coast, and they will capably stretch every donation dollar that they receive!

Calgary food bank donor gifts BMW

The local food bank is a cause that one of our Alberta donors could get behind. Donating their well-loved BMW via our auction option, this generous giver raised over $9,000.00 for the charity!

How does our auction process work? In many parts of Canada we have local auction houses working on our behalf. If a vehicle is 10 years of age or newer, and in running condition, we may be able to attempt re-sale at auction. This process allows us to see the car sold to the highest bidder. This ensures that we get the most donation dollars possible on behalf of your chosen charity. Just as we did for this open-hearted donor!

You can help in your neighborhood

Visit your local food bank website  for informative and challenging facts about hunger in our country. Or, visit their social media pages for up-to-the-minute news, articles, and inspiration on how each of us can make a difference.

If donating your car is a future consideration, and you want to know how to help your neighbors, now:

Five common Food Bank requests:

1. dry pasta and sauce
2. canned meats and fish
3. meat alternatives like peanut butter
4. canned vegetables without added sodium, and
5. hot and cold cereal

Five other ideas for foods that might be overlooked:

1. Whole grains such as farro, spelt, barley and brown or wild rice are high in fibre and contain iron and magnesium. They can be added to soup, chili and salad
2. Baby formula and cereal and pureed fruit and veggies are needed by children for optimal development
3. Inexpensive and versatile lentils are a source of protein and high in fibre. Theyre easy to cook and dont require soaking first
4. Milk, and alternatives like powdered milk or fortified shelf-stable almond, soy and rice milk, are a source of calcium and vitamins D and A
5. Canned fruit packed in water, with no added sugar, is a source of vitamin C

When possible choose unbreakable containers; glass jars dont always survive transport.

Does this sound do-able?

Your BMW, your charity of choice

If you’re able to go one step beyond this and do have a car or truck to donate, we can help. Not every vehicle donation is a BMW donation — every make and model has it’s own value to add. That’s what we’re about!

Perhaps the cause you love goes by another name. No problem! You can gift your car, truck, van, SUV, or motorcycle to any charity in Canada!

You are also invited to contact and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! From there, you’ll be able to keep up to date on our program as well as see posts that showcase our amazing donors and charities across the country!

The post BMW Donor Feeds the ‘Bank appeared first on Donate A Car.