Tag: Donate a Car Canada

Canadian Mental Health Association

Posted by Sandra on in Blog, Making a Difference, You and Your Health

CMHA ready to receive donations

The Canadian Mental Health Association has signed on with Donate a Car Canada to receive your vehicle donations.

About the CMHA

"Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada. CMHA is a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and one territory. They provide advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses. CMHA supports recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive."

They provide services and supports to over 1.3 million Canadians. This is no small effort! It is through the combined efforts of more than 5,000 staff and 11,000 volunteers. They work from 1 national office, 11 divisions in all provinces and one territory, and 75 community-based branches/regions.

100 years at the forefront

CMHA's mental health fast facts

Who is affected?

  • Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague.
  • In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem/illness.
  • Mental illness affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures.
  • Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.
  • About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic depression”).

How common is it?

  • By age 40, about 50% of the population will have or have had a mental illness.
  • Schizophrenia affects 1% of the Canadian population.
  • Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe impairment.
  • Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds.
  • Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age.
  • The mortality rate due to suicide among men is four times the rate among women.

What causes it?

  • A complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors causes mental illnesses.
  • 49% of those who feel they have suffered from depression or anxiety have never seen a doctor about it.
  • Stigma or discrimination attached to mental illnesses presents a serious barrier.

The economic cost

  • The 1998 economic cost of mental illnesses in Canada for the health care system was estimated to be $7.9 billion. Cost of care: $4.7 billion care. $3.2 billion in disability and early death.
  • An additional $6.3 billion was spent on uninsured mental health services and time off work for untreated depression and distress.

How does it impact youth?

  • It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder – the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.
  • Today, approximately 5% of male youth and 12% of female youth, age 12 to 19, have experienced a major depressive episode.
  • The total number of 12-19 year olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million.
  • Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for 80% of people who are affected. This allows them to get back to their regular activities.
  • Mental illness is increasingly threatening the lives of our children. Canada’s youth suicide rate is the third highest in the industrialized world.
  • Suicide is among the leading causes of death in 15-24 year old Canadians, second only to accidents. 4,000 people die prematurely each year by suicide.
  • Schizophrenia is youth’s greatest disabler as it strikes most often in the 16 to 30 year age group. It affects an estimated one person in 100.
  • Surpassed only by injuries, mental disorders in youth are ranked as the second highest hospital care expenditure in Canada.
  • In Canada, only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receives them.

Ready to give?

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Pumpkin Drop

Posted by Sandra on in Blog, Making a Difference

Local Pumpkin Drop is a Smash Hit

Pumpkin Drop

The annual pumpkin drop at Blue Grass Nursery was a smashing success. For 16 years the garden shop, joined by XL 103.1, has raised funds for charity by dropping pumpkins. This year Donate a Car Canada was able to join in the festivities.

Pumpkin Drop 2

Sunny skies and warm Autumn air drew a big crowd to the nursery. Three pumpkins, weighing in between 300 - 1200 pounds, were dropped in turn.

Pumpkin Drop 6

One of Donate a Car Canada's supporting tow agents helped Blue Grass out with delivery of two crush-ready cars. Cars, cranes, fireworks, and plummeting pumpkins! It was a massive coming together of skills, physics, and splatter.

Countdown to Smashing Pumpkins

300 pounds
500 pounds
1200 Pounds!

Gifting Alberta Children's Hospital

The Alberta Children's Hospital will be the recipient of funds raised at this year's event. Last year's gift to the ACH was $30,000. We're excited to hear how our joint efforts came together in 2019.

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Going to the Dogs

Posted by Sandra on in Blog, Making a Difference

Donate a Car Canada donations going to the dogs one car at a time

Golden Rescue
Golden Rescue

The Canadian Golden Retriever Adoption Service (Golden Rescue) received their first-ever donation through our program in August.

One of Canada’s largest single-breed rescue groups, GR is a Canadian charity run entirely by volunteers. Since 1990, Golden Rescue has found homes for 3, 174 surrendered, abandoned, unwanted, or displaced Golden Retrievers.

Golden Rescue has no paid staff. They have no offices, and no high administrative expenses. They do, however, have over 500 dedicated volunteers throughout Ontario and Quebec, and beyond. One hundred percent of the money they raise goes to helping the dogs. Around 80% of those funds go to vet care and behavioral training.

Curious about adopting a Golden of your own? Visit Golden Rescue's site and see who's waiting for their forever home.

Police dogs in on the donation action

Ned's Wish

Ned's Wish is "a cause for heroes with paws."

Ned’s Wish received their first-time gift in August as well.

NW supports law enforcement by providing financial and educational support to better the quality of life for K-9 retirees in Canada. After human police officers finish serving their communities, their pension funds support them. Due to the cost of health care for retired police dogs, the potential to enjoy retirement can literally rest on a dime. A dog’s quality of life can be significantly reduced, or even cut-short if health costs are too high.

Ned's provides financial support for retired K-9 medical well-being. They preserve and enhance the quality of life for retired police dogs.

Your retired car can help

If these Golden Retrievers and retired police dogs have your attention, donate your vehicle through our program today! Or, visit the websites we've linked to learn of other ways to donate to the charities directly.

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Fall Clean Up | Free Town-wide Vehicle Removal

Posted by Sandra on in Blog, Knowing the Industry, Making a Difference

Junk vehicles cluttering up town?

Clean yards make good neighbors. Are you and your fellow townsfolk starting to see a build-up of old cars and trucks in town? Are your town's driveways and back alleys getting cluttered with recycle-ready (donation-ready!) vehicles. It's time for a Fall clean up! We can help!

Donate a Car Canada, cooperating with area tow companies, will arrange to have your vehicle removed. For free! Your charity of choice will receive a donation in the amount of net sale proceeds. You can choose from our list of over 800 Canadian charities.

But why stop with your own car or truck? Get the town behind a Fall clean up and get a donation day or week organized on your behalf. You could see your town junk car free overnight.

Are you in charge?

Are you one of the folks in town that have taken on the care of your patch of Canada? Donate a Car Canada can make a town Fall clean up easy and cost-effective. How would this work? Simply connect with us here (1-877-250-4904) to let us know you're setting up a town-wide effort.

We'll give you a few easy directions:

  1. Promote your event.  Let residents know they have the opportunity to donate their vehicles to charity. They'll receive tax receipts for the donations, and they can choose their charities. All for free! A little aside: if you opt, as a town, to select one charity to receive all donations, your impact will be substantial for that one recipient. That's one more way to create community.
  2. Ask your residents to fill in our online donation form, indicating on the form that they are donating their vehicle for pick-up during your town event. We need one donation form for each vehicle. This ensures tax receipts are issued properly, and that vehicle ownership is appropriately logged.
  3. Leave the rest to us! Our pick-up agents will contact donors to specify pick-up times and locations. The vehicles will be removed. And we will forward each individual gift on to each donor's charity of choice.

Curious citizen ready to get things rolling?

If you're a citizen who cares about the tidiness and care of your community, we can help with that, too. As noted above, reach out to us at 1-877-250-4904. Point us in the direction of the right person for the job. We will connect with your town council or other municipal leaders to let them know that a citizen has requested a town-wide Fall clean up of donation ready cars and trucks.

Or spearhead the work yourself, getting the word out that the Donate a Car Canada service and our vast charity-of-choice options are available to you all.

Contact us today and let us help you and your town clean up and feel great!

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Kindness Matters

Posted by Sandra on in Blog, Making a Difference

Is kindness uncommon?

“When one reaches out to help another he touches the face of God.” – Walt Whitman 

Your kindness counts

Henri Nouwen says, "...our faithfulness to a small task is the most healing response to the illnesses of our time." Kindness matters, and your efforts in the smallest expressions of that goodness can have large effect.

Take a little minute and consider the nature of the acts of kindness that have most put air in your own lungs. Was it a break, a smile, a compliment, a hand up, or a hard-earned treat? Whatever it was, it probably didn't cost the giver much, and it made a difference to your day. What was it like for you to be the recipient? And did you go on to be a giver of the same?

Benefits to bein' nice

Psychology Today notes, "A recent study, Kindness Counts, conducted by researchers from the University of British Columbia and the University of California, Riverside, broke new ground by showing the benefits derived by tweens when they were taught happiness-increasing strategies.

For a month, several hundred 9-11 year-olds performed and recorded three acts of kindness each week for anyone they wished. Another several hundred kept track of three pleasant places they visited during the week.

Not surprisingly, the results were consistent with adult studies. When kids performed acts of kindness or took notice of the pleasant places they visited during the week, they significantly increased feelings of happiness and satisfaction.

But those who performed acts of kindness received an additional benefit.  Measuring how well children were liked or accepted by their peers, the study showed those who performed acts of kindness gained an average of 1.5 friends during the four-week period – good support for the idea that 'nice guys finish first.'" (Acts of Kindness: Key to Happiness for Children & Teens)

Three acts of kindness each week? 'Sounds do-able! Let's take up that challenge and make a difference.

flipping4charity

Posted by Sandra on in Blog, Making a Difference, You and Your Health

What Six Pack is up to

Lapadat's daily car flip challenge is trackable via our Donate a Car Canada Twitter likes. 'Good days, or tough days, Ryan is working hard for a wide variety of Canadian charities.

Learn more about Ryan, his vision and mission, and just how much he's already tackled (and flipped) in his career, so far. Check him out at The Great Canadian Bucket List. This guy is committed to his craft and to caring for Canadians in larger-than-life ways.

Charities

Over 100 of our receiving charities are being spotlighted in Ryan's ambitious endeavor. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada is in his sights. BBBS is changing lives by investing time and mentoring resources into the lives of Canadian young people. "Changing the course of young lives changes the future of communities. By every measure, BBBS returns positive results in the mental health, employment and civic engagement" of the recipients of their programs.

How to give

Follow and share Ryan "Six Pack" Lapadat's power lifting, flipping4charity efforts on Twitter. Explore ways to give to the charities that he's championing. Volunteer, offer gifts-in-kind, donate cool cash, or donate your vehicle. Every gift counts!

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Car Flipping for Charity

Posted by Sandra on in Blog, Making a Difference

We're just days away from Donate a Car Canada's biggest charity spotlight event ever! On July 1st, Ryan "Six Pack" Lapadat begins his powerhouse efforts to bring car flipping awareness to over 100 Canadian charities in 143 days.

The man

The plan

So, what exactly is Ryan getting himself up to for charity this time 'round? He's flipping a car, of course!

Starting on July 1st, Six Pack is planning to flip a car, every day, for almost 150 days. We'll be tracking him online and collaborating with him in giving shout-outs to our charities. Watch for our blog posts, Tweets, and Facebook updates to see where Ryan is and what he's up to on any given day.

Some of our charities are excited to be planning special events around Lapadat's feats of strength. Stay tuned for more information about where he's been and who has been helped by his unique skills.

And how you can be involved

Keeping an eye out for Six Pack's daily charity boosts will be an easy and exciting way to get a quick peek at what some of Canada is about charity-wise. You'll see many children's charities spotlighted (Ryan's personal mission is to see kids inspired to greatness). Many of our health-related charities will also be getting some attention via his car-flipping mastery.

No funds are being directly raised by Ryan or Donate a Car through this venture. Our deserving charities will receive some much-needed exposure through these events. Further, folks interested in donating to charity will be presented with some of their many Canadian options.

'Ready to donate today? Just click here...

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Farming Smarter

Posted by Sandra on in Blog, Knowing the Industry, Making a Difference, You and Your Health
Farming Smarter

Farming Smarter aims to
sustain our land, water, soil, and farmers for the benefit of everyone.

Farming Smarter is growing stewardship

Farming Smarter makes a commitment to foster sustainable farming practices. For example, wherever they can, they will partner, research, inform, and support cost effective projects that are good for the land, air, water and crops.

Currently working in Southern Alberta, their Innovative Projects include:

  • Deep banding immobile nutrients
  • High value specialty crops
  • Precision planting canola
  • Cover crops across Prairie Canada
  • Alternative flee beetle management without neonicotinoids. What is a flee beetle? And why do they matter? Here's what the FS site has to say:
    Flea beetles are one of the major canola pests in Alberta. Currently neonicotinoid-based seed treatments are often used to protect canola seedlings from flea beetle damage. PMRA's recommendation to phase out the use of neonicotinoids has caused concern for growers. Without these seed treatments different control mechanisms must be considered by growers. These may be alternate seed treatment, increased seeding rates, or foliar insecticides. These activities may have negative environmental consequences. Furthermore, they may be less effective than current strategies and they will incur increased production costs

Curious? Check out their summer events:

Farming Smarter invites you to a summer of field school and "plot hops." You may also want to explore their farm days and conference options.

Interested in other projects they've researched? Visit their site and explore:

Why donate to this charity?

Many people don’t realize that F.S. is a registered Canadian charity. They are a non-profit association funded by grants, sponsorship, and donations.  Above all, money donated to them stays in southern Alberta and funds locally directed agriculture focused research.
Your donation to this work, for example, could help them do your most critical agricultural research.

In short, if this resonates with your own values and concerns, we can help!

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Vehicle Donation in Canada

Posted by Sandra on in Blog, Knowing the Industry, Making a Difference

Vehicle donation in Canada should be a simple and cost-free process. As the donor, you have several donating options. Check your options carefully - not all donation programs are equal in integrity or service. Donate a Car Canada is all-Canadian, providing over 800 charities to choose from. 'Have a cause you love? We can process your car, truck, and (seasonally) motorcycle. For free! The net sale proceeds will go to your charity of choice.

How this works

The simplest way to proceed with your vehicle donation is to click any of the pick n pull buttons on our webpage. That click will take you to an online form for your donation. The form is simple to understand, and it only asks for information we really need to process your car or truck promptly.

Not having success with the online form? No problem! Give us a direct call at 1-877-250-4904. Our phone team will be happy to talk with you. They'll walk you through the form if you like, but will also be happy to just fill it all out for you.

Done that step? Leave it to us. We'll contact a nearby towing company and arrange for your free and timely pick-up. Don't worry: no one will show up for the vehicle until they've called to arrange best timing with you.

The tow guys will come for your auto, process it, and send us payment. The dollar outcome is subject to (always!) fluctuating metal prices in Canada. Once we have payment from our tow agent, we'll forward the proceeds on to your charity.

What does the charity have to pay?

Not a thing! We have written agreements with our supported charities that they will issue tax receipts in a prompt manner. Apart from that, the work is all taken care of by us here at DACC. Many of our charities receive thousands of dollars each year; some of the lesser-known organizations would be grateful for a little extra from you!

The difference you make

Vehicle donation in Canada has a multi-layer impact. First, it allows you to have a recycle or re-sale ready vehicle picked-up and processed at no cost to you. But the benefits don't end there. The charity of your choice will certainly benefit. And so will the environment (clean, thorough recycling practices matter). The longer reach? Many of our supporting tow agents are small, local companies: keeping wheels on the ground with a steady stream of work matters, too.

So, give us a click and let us get you on your way with your vehicle donation today!

Honda Civic | 21 Years at the Top

Posted by Sandra on in Blog, Knowing the Industry

The Honda Civic did it again. For 21 years in a row the Civic has been Canada's best-selling car.

Civic eclipses competition

As passenger cars go, this little Honda is Canada's top pick. In their article on our top ten most wanted, Driving.ca notes,

"Only half a decade ago, the Honda Civic’s share of Canada’s passenger car market was 8 per cent. It was a staggering figure, but it’s now far overshadowed by a 12 per cent share of the Canadian car market. 2018 saw the Civic claim Canada’s title as the best-selling car for a 21st consecutive year, and the Civic did so in dominant fashion by maintaining its equilibrium in a rapidly declining car market. The Civic outsold its closest rival by a 41 per cent margin."

Who else is in the game?

The Elantra was once thought to rival the Honda Civic for buyer interest. Driving.ca goes on to say,

"Once seen as the vehicle that could overtake the Honda Civic – and it often did, on a monthly basis – the Hyundai Elantra is now a distant third-place candidate in the passenger-car battle. The Elantra narrowed the race to a slim margin in 2013, when sales of the Hyundai peaked and Civic volume was only 16 per cent stronger. But Honda now sells 65 per cent more Civics than Hyundai sells Elantras. Elantra volume slipped to an eight-year low."

The longevity and performance of the Civic has won the confidence of Canadian drivers. With varied conditions year 'round, and the demands of terrain and traffic, we expect a lot from our cars. This little Honda continues to be the car of choice for those in the market for a passenger vehicle.

What that means for donations

It's not surprising, then, that we see many Hondas rolling through our donation program. But here's the difference: our Honda donors have held on to their car for 15, 20, or 25 years. Accords and Civics are donated regularly, but not until they've given every last gasp to their owner. This compares with other makes/models significantly. It's not uncommon to see a PT Cruiser, Elantra, or Cavalier being donated after only 8 - 10 years of drive time. Some Mazdas get eaten alive by rust and just can't handle Canadian winters.

These makes and models are loved by their owners (our donors), but the performance on those Hondas just can't be beat!

Do you have a trusty old Civic that's served you well, but that now needs end of life processing? Consider extending the vehicle's good service by donating to your charity of choice!

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Photo courtesy of https://www.honda.ca/civic_coupe