Streamlining the simple life one donor at a time

A 2006 Ford Escape donor recently reminded us of the value of seeking out the simple life:

“I had this car for 6 years, difficult for me to part with it now, just
difficult to continue paying insurance and find a place to park. This car
has taken me to many places without breaking down, truly appreciated the
service I received.”

Letting go of a beloved vehicle is not easy. It can be emotional. Some donors say that it’s like losing a member of the family.

And, sometimes letting go of a complicating factor in full and overwhelming lives brings a sigh of relief. This is made so much easier when you know that the letting go will aid a good cause.

Our Ford Escape donor added a layer of goodness to his gift by naming a charity that was new to us! He chose Life Water as his charity of choice. In no time, we had the charity set up and ready to receive donations from future vehicle donors!

ps: We help charities live the simple life, too! There are no costs or tasks for the charity in this process. From donation to tax receipt, the charity is looked after.

Why donate instead of selling privately?

Another comment we have been hearing from donors for our twenty years in vehicle donation support? “I was going to sell it privately, but…”:

But I just don’t have time to spend on this right now. Life is so busy!

But it is such a hassle to deal with tire-kickers! There are so few interested buyers and so many wasted hours spent on cranks.

But I’m settling out the rest of the estate. I just needed one thing to be easy, painless.

But I really just want to do something good for the charity I love!

Like our Ford Escape donor, they know something about balancing the stresses of life and the wish to live a simple, generous life.

The simple life made a little simpler – one free tow at a time

Every donated vehicle is assessed for either re-sale or recycle. The effort is to re-sell whenever possible; we endeavor to raise the highest donation possible for the donor’s charity of choice. This ensures the strongest tax receipt for the donor, too! While we do not typically see Blue/Black Book values on our re-sales, we do see strong monetary returns that reflect the spread in the used vehicle market at the time of donation.

One of ways we ensure simplicity, speed, and no-cost support is fabulous agent care. Donors receive a call to arrange tow support within 48 hours of the time of donation. Then, having set up a time convenient to the donor, they provide free tow support.

If you take a peep at our socials and Google Reviews you’ll see the relief and gratitude this inspires!

If you’re looking for one thing to be quick, easy, and free in your life, we’re here to make it happen. We can’t wait to see your vehicle submission!

The post The Simple Life | One Way to Embrace It appeared first on Donate A Car.

Ontario Science Centre offers a World Ocean Day glimpse

A special day to tend the ocean and our world

June 8th is World Ocean Day. Given the importance of our planets water systems, one day seems like a pretty tiny nod in their direction! The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) notes,

“Our ocean shapes the climate, feeds millions, and cradles life. However, these living seas are under threat, and need bold, lasting protection. That’s why we work to create Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) – safe havens where ocean ecosystems, fish stocks, and wildlife can be replenished and thrive. Thanks to our CPAWS community, we’ve helped safeguard over 15% of Canada’s ocean and advocated for ocean ecosystems across the country. With your continued support, we can:

Push toward our goal of protecting 30% of Canada’s ocean by 2030

Ensure current MPAs are well-monitored and managed

Support Indigenous-led marine conservation efforts

Real change doesn’t come from one moment – it comes from people who care. Help protect the ocean we all depend on!”

The difference you can make this World Oceans Day

When we think about the condition of our oceans, now, it can feel a little overwhelming. How can one person effect any real change? Fortunately, there are brilliant minds and giant hearts hard at work. Their expertise and knowledge are up to the task. What they need? The means to do their work efficiently and thoroughly.

One of the most important things folks like you and I can do is give. If we have time and skills to share, let’s do it! Join a clean-up effort, do what you can from within the four walls of your home, or dial into a local group that is all about ocean care.

If time and skill are in short supply, perhaps you have financial resources to share? Around here, we are all about turning vehicles and boats into cool cash for Canadian charities.

You read that right! We accept some boat donations…and we serve on behalf of all Canadian charities! Cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs? Easy peasy! Your vehicle will be re-sold or recycled and the net proceeds sent to your charity of choice.

Boats and motorcycles are little trickier. Motorcycles and boats typically need to be in re-sale condition in order for us to accept them for donation. This is because their parts and metal content don’t add up to much on the weigh scale.

If you have a sea-worthy boat, it can draw valuable donation dollars for any charity you wish — including those that tend to all things ocean and sea life!

It’s simple, quick, and free to make a boat donation for the ocean! We look forward to serving you and the charity you love.

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It’s time to strap on your shoes and walk for the cause you love

Earlier this year I had the happy luck of being part of the Coldest Night of the Year walk to end hurt, hunger, and homelessness. It was a light-hearted way to get a little exercise while doing some good. Embarking on a walk for a cause that is meaningful for you is a rewarding experience of community and caring.

As we move deeper into spring and summer, you’ll find there are many charities hosting their own walks, runs, rides, and golf tournaments. There’s something really connected about partnering action (especially playful action) with fund raising. Making a difference while also enjoying other likeable humans and the Canadian outdoors? It’s a perfect pairing!

Who can I walk for this year?

We’re glad you asked!

Here are just a few of the upcoming “Walk For,” “Ride For,” “Run For,” “Golf For” events in Canada:

The Schizophrenia Society of Alberta hosts their Strides of Hope Walk in May.

The Walk to End ALS is happening across Canada! Visit their site to find a wander near you.

Another event in May is the Walk for Alzheimer’s for the Alzheimer’s Society.

You can Cycle for Autism in Edmonton!

Can’t get out to the local park? The Huntington Society hosts, Virtual Walk Weekend for their cause.

Raise your paws for guide dogs! The Canadian Guide Dogs is hosting Dollars for Dogs!

Your local hospice will be participating in the Hike for Hospice, and Prostate Canada will ramp up their Father’s Day Walk/Run for prostate cancer soon, too.

If your more of a “sit for” charity kind of human…

Not everyone is up for a walk for this-or-that! Time is tight, finances are pinchy, and energy can be in short supply. If walking-riding-running or whacking a ball around a perfectly good patch of grass is not your thing, no problem!

Canadian charities need any support you can offer. Some are in a position to receive Gifts In Kind. So, think clothing, furniture, food. Did you know that many second hand shops are actually set up to raise funds? So, when you go shopping, you are actually aiding a cause. Those same shops will accept the items you no longer need or want. Donate them!

Of course, the primary need of every helping organization is funding. Every crinkle in the economy, every disruption to postal service — it’s a whollop. Charities feel these fluctuations keenly. Your financial gift matters so very much.

And then there us! If you have an unused or unwanted vehicle, we will re-sell or recycle it for any charity in Canada. For real! There are over 80,000 to choose from, and any one of them can be the recipient of your vehicle donation. The process is simple, quick, free, and friendly.

When the rubber hits the road

Whether you’re taking to the road in your sneakers, up on two wheels, or tucked into a golf cart, you can be part of helping your charity help others. And if you have four wheels that are ready to roll for your cause, we’re a click or a call away!

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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.

Made in Canada Juno’s style

Did you catch it? Anne Murray was awarded a truly made in Canada lifetime achievement award at the 2025 Junos!

Anne’s songs were the soundtrack of my childhood. Watching her receive her award with grace and pride felt just-so-right. And hearing her acknowledge the safe haven that her homeland has been for her was heartwarming, too. Simple. No flash or pomp (apart from the sequins adorning her proudly worn Team Canada jersey), Ms. Murray lauded the goodness of being home on this side of the border.

Buble champions the diversity of what it is to be Canadian

Michael Buble was host to the music awards. His opening monologue did a gentle justice to some of who this country is made of. Namely? The artists, teachers, healthcare workers, farmers, and fishermen. “When you love something, you show up for it! We don’t just acknowledge our differences. We embrace them.”

Take a look:

A little Canadian made in Canada goes a long way

Around here, human kindness and made in Canada go hand-in-hand. It sometimes feels like they’re synonymous! Just today we received a 5 star Google review from a cancer foundation donor who wrote,

“This is an easy process. Everyone is courteous and friendly.
Our experience donating our van towards cancer research foundation was so smooth and rewarding. Thanks to everyone involved including Glen who picked up are van in Edmonton. He’s a great guy.”

Yup. Glen. Glen the tow guy (maybe Buble will call out tow drivers next year?). He’s such a fabulous human. He exudes professionalism and helpfulness. And words like “courteous,” and “friendly” are just the workaday way things go for our little team here, too. Charity reps? Caring, compassionate, and endlessly useful sorts of humans. Donors? Expansively generous — they share kindness on four wheels again and again…and again.

Side bar: just today one War Amps donor submitted his third donated vehicle in two days!

This is the “home” that Anne Murray espoused in her acceptance speech. It’s the “showing up” that Buble crooned about, too.

Whatever may come, in our little patch of the world’s geography, Canada seems to know something about being safely human and deeply kind. We are utterly unique in our Canadian expression of humankind.

The post Made in Canada | Canadian Crooners Inspire appeared first on Donate A Car.

Feeling the solidarity and all about purely Canadian these days?

Have you been spending a little extra time reading grocery labels these days? Maybe you’ve rebooked a vacation and you’re staying North of the border this time? If you’re a small business person dependent on cross-border anything, “purely Canadian” has taken on new meaning in the past few weeks. Cheering on team Canada comes with some big feelings right now, too.

We relate. There’s something really special about our small-but-mighty company: we are 100% red and white.

We’ve been Better Business Bureau accredited (A+!) since 2011. We’re almost 15 years old.

That’s 15 years of diligently working alongside vehicle donors to support this country’s registered charities!

Our owners, our team of donor and charity support staff, and our cooperating tow crews are all about serving this amazing country. When folks hurt, we hurt right along with them; when folks thrive, we celebrate, too.

Buy Canadian, Give Canadian

While we’re all being a little extra mindful about where we spend our hard earned dimes, we can also be sure that our giving is purely Canadian. And what do we really mean by that? Well, the organizations serving down the street from where we live, or more broadly in our provinces or nation-wide, need our support more now than ever.

Food banks need to fill the shelves. Those experiencing housing, education, or other insecurities need us to have their backs. We need our artists, athletes, educators, and helpers to thrive. When one thrives, we all thrive! We are all in this together and a little kindness and caring can go a long, long way!

Keeping car donation purely Canadian

If you have an unused van, car, truck, SUV, or motorcycle that you would like to donate, we’re here to help! The process is simple, quick, and free — for you and your charity of choice.

First, simply fill in our online donation form. This will take you less than 10 minutes to complete.

Then, wait for a phone call from your supporting tow agent. They’ll set up your free tow in a timely, convenient manner.

Lastly, our agent will re-sell or recycle your donated vehicle. Then, the net proceeds will distributed to your charity. Just watch your inbox for your tax receipt!

Every donation dollar counts right now. Let’s take care of each other, simply helping out wherever and whenever we can.

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A few events demonstrating how hockey helps Canadian charities

As the title really says it all, let’s jump right in! Here are just a few examples of how hockey helps Canadian charities:

Easter Seal’s Camp Horizon benefited from a tourney today!

The Kimmet Cup is an annual Alberta tournament held to support charities like the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.

And later this month, “Hockey Helps the Homeless will be hosting its 17th annual charity hockey tournament...Since inception, HHTH has granted over $28 million nationally to partner agencies: YWCA Calgary, INN From the Cold, Trellis Society, and Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta.”

Sledge hockey is in the mix, too

The Calgary Sledge Hockey Association was the recipient of a $5,000.00 donation thanks to a Cochrane tourney earlier this year.

And let’s not forget about how road hockey helps Canadian charities!

Have you heard about the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer event? “Join Road Hockey and help create brighter tomorrows for cancer patients everywhere. Not only would you be participating in the world’s largest road hockey fundraiser, but your fundraising efforts will Carry The Fire for a new generation of cancer patients who are counting on The Princess Margaret’s trailblazing work to transform what it means to be diagnosed with cancer.”

Our part in supporting

Not all of us can strap on a pair of skates. And puck handling while skating backward may be a bit beyond our skillset, too! But all of us can add to the work as hockey helps Canadian charities across the country. Every cause in our country is hurting right now. That means that every volunteer hour, every donation dollar, and every unique gift-in-kind is key to charities thriving. There’s a charity near you that aligns with your values. Reach out to them and discover how you can help!

For our part, our everyday work is to facilitate vehicle donation. Do you have an unused, unwanted SUV, car, truck, van, or motorcycle? An estate vehicle that you are unsure what to do with ? Perhaps you are at-the-ready to purchase a new vehicle and are deciding between selling your old one, or trading it in? Consider donating it!

The process is simple, quick, free, and friendly! A quick donation form, a couple of emails, a phone call from a towing company and you’re done! Your vehicle will be re-sold or recycled — whichever brings the strongest donation outcome for your charity of choice. And you, of course, will receive a tax receipt.

While you won’t see us out on the ice any time soon, we can’t wait to serve you here!

The post Hockey Helps | Canadian charities at the heart of local tourneys appeared first on Donate A Car.

Wildfire Relief in California | How we can help

Cross-border giving can be a little unwieldy, but there are some Canadian charities that are at-the-ready to aid with wildfire relief in California.

CanadaHelp’s fabulously complete website of our nations charities is shining a spotlight on a few. Two that we already have relationship with here at Donate a Car Canada are Disaster Aid Canada, and Parachutes For Pets.

Disaster Aid Canada notes,

“The wildfires currently devastating Los Angeles and surrounding areas have caused an immeasurable loss of life and property. With the fires still barely contained and continuing to spread with wind, communities are facing overwhelming destruction and heartbreak.

Disaster Aid Canada is in touch with our Rotary and Disaster Aid International partners and will support the efforts they’re making in the area to provide aid to those affected during this critical time. The funds received will go to support Rotary District 5280 and their charitable foundation specific to resources and aid following these fires.

Your contribution can make a significant difference to those in need in California affected by this tragedy. Thank you for your support.”

Parachutes for Pets also states,

“Parachutes for Pets, a trusted name in pet relief and wildfire response, has been called to assist pets impacted by the devastating California wildfires. Pasadena Humane and the Lange Foundation have reached out to Parachutes for Pets for their expertise and proven success in handling relief efforts during the Alberta wildfires.

The California wildfires have caused widespread devastation, displacing hundreds of thousands of residents and their pets. Parachutes for Pets will work closely with local organizations, shelters and veterinary clinics to provide support.”

A simple-quick-free way to turn your vehicle into aid for wildfire relief in California

One way to get funds into the hands of helping organizations is to donate your vehicle. Wrecked, or running, we will either re-sell, or recycle, your van, car, truck, SUV, or motorcycle. The net proceeds will be sent to your Canadian charity of choice.

When re-selling a vehicle, the turn around time is a bit slower than when we recycle. That’s a good thing! Our agents’ efforts are to find the buyer that will offer the highest bid for your vehicle. This can take a little time. Once your vehicle sells successfully, the net proceeds will be sent to your chosen charity.

Recycling thrums along at a clip and you’ll usually see your gift disbursed to your cause within just a month, or so.

Either way, you will receive a tax receipt for the net proceeds. Your charity will receive valuable donation dollars to aid in their work. This includes wildfire relief in California for a few Canadian charities.

Ready to donate? We’re just a click, or a phone call (1-877-250-4904) away!

The post Two Local Charities Aiding Wildfire Relief in California appeared first on Donate A Car.

Year end giving fuels dreams, drama, and dynamic care

You may have noticed a little added urgency to your favourite charity’s requests for donations this holiday season? The postal strike had an impact on donations, for sure! Now is the time to get your precious donation dollars into the hands of the charity serving the cause you care about.

Your financial gift is what allows your charity of choice to keep the lights on, provide services, and make plans for the future. From your local community association to the arts, from children’s charities to seniors programs — every cause is ready to receive your donation.

Take some time to explore CanadaHelps and discover your many giving options. Visiting your chosen charity’s social media pages will bring happy news: if you donate before the end of the year, many organizations have double-your-donation campaigns going right now!

How year end giving can positively impact your taxes

CanadaHelps has a fabulous page dedicated to tax time. They write, “Not only is giving to charity a great way to make a difference to your favourite cause, but when you claim your charitable tax credits you can also take advantage of federal and provincial government tax incentives.”

Visit their page to explore their Charitable Tax Credit calculator!

Curious about how to maximize your benefits? Explore their site to learn how

• Federal and provincial donation tax credits add up
• You can reduce capital gains taxes
• To carry previous donations forward for a larger tax credit
• To transfer donation credits to your spouse or common-law partner

Year end giving will boost your charity’s ability to serve while also helping you maximize your own benefits!

Finishing the year off right

There’s no better way to end the year than by doing Good. The gift of your time, resources, and actual donation dollars ensures your charity finishes the year strong, too.

Thank you for the privilege of working alongside you and the cause you care about! Here’s to a new year of equality, dignity, and provision for all!

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