Looking to donate a car in Alberta? Here’s how…

You have come to the right place if you wish to donate a car in Alberta. We have been serving Alberta charities for over 15 years. Your charity of choice (you read that right: YOU choose the charity!) will never pay a penny for this care. And for you? Well, it just doesn’t get any easier:

1. Click below, or call (1-877-250-4904)
2. Fill in the information form (this is where you’ll choose your Alberta charity, too)
3. Take a call from the towing agent and hand over the car, truck, van, SUV, or motorcycle

Leave the rest to our crew here at Donate a Car!

How do I select my charity?

When you fill in your vehicle information form you will easily see our drop-down list of charities. It is very long list! In fact, we have had some donors tell us that they end up delaying their donation just so that they can take a little extra time to choose carefully.

If you would like to explore charity options before you get started, our charities page can help. Another option? Spend some time on the CanadaHelps website. Their list of Canadian charities is vast — and we are able to serve them all!

Settling an estate (or setting up your own)? Learn more about that, too!

‘Need a little list to get your giving juices flowing? Here are just a handful of the beautiful works you can gift your unused/unwanted vehicle for:

Is it really worth it to donate a car in Alberta?

Absolutely! Alberta car, truck, SUV, van, and motorcycle donors raise thousands of dollars for Canadian causes each year. Your four-wheeled junker can make such a difference! A car in working order? Well…read on…

We may recycle your car: this results in a flat-rate donation determined by what our agent will pay for the vehicle. This can earn your charity hundreds of dollars.

Whenever we can, we have our agents re-sell donated vehicles. This ensures that the charity can receive a gift of thousands of dollars if the car has that kind of value.

Whatever your cause, we are here to serve.

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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!

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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!

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SUV or half-ton truck?

When our family was ready to transition from a minivan to something smaller, , the Rendezvous was our go-to. This was the fanciest vehicle we’d ever had (Heated seats and mirrors that adjusted themselves? So fancy!). We loved it!

Storage space in the SUV wasn’t optimal, but that didn’t stop us from using the poor ol’ girl like she was an F150. Over the years we’ve moved many friends from one home to another. We’ve hauled lumber and gardening soil and trees. She got the kids through years of hanging out with buddies (read: that vehicle hauled a lot of bodies, weird combinations of sporting and gaming equipment, and debris).

Road trippin’, Buick-style

We’re a road tripping family – because who can afford to fly with 3 kids? Well…who can afford to fly them and feed them? Since we had to choose between the two, we opted to feed them. They seemed to appreciate that. When the kids were still travelling with us the drives would take us South of the border in search of sun and warmth and adventure.

One of our most memorable trips was taken in the Buick. That hearty black wonder got us all the way down to New Mexico, USA. I don’t think we ever (like, never) got all of the White Sands, NM sand out from the carpet fibres and various nooks and crannies of that vehicle? We had dramatic tire trouble (that’s a story of its own…) in an effort to short-cut our way to the Giant Array (again, more on that next week), and just about drove the boys nuts with the various other “short cuts” we took in an effort to show them their continent.

Gettin’ it done

Winter after winter, long after our sons had purchased their own vehicles, the Buick got us through one tight spot after another. The kids went from kiddos to adulthood while we had the Buick. With 5 adults, our family has a pretty big vehicle foot print. Work and play demands mean that everyone has their own car…and with that many vehicles in one family , there are a lot of roadside breakdowns, parking lot boosts, and wonky electrical issues. The Rendezvous was the one vehicle that never broke down. We’d leave it parked curb-side for weeks or months at a time, giving it a negligible drive around the block just to ensure we kept the motor functioning and the parking authorities at bay. And every time we needed it, it started right up and got whomever was in a last-minute pinch to where they needed to be.

One last trip

Until just a week or two ago. I’d done the obligatory run around the block/move the vehicle and make it look like someone loves it drive. It started up fine and had that warm and mechanical-gas-y smell of a neglected vehicle. I love that smell. It reminds me of grandpa’s old blue K-Car. The one that used to sit out on the farm, years after it had stopped driving. A magical, all-blue automotive playground for the grandkids.

Then, one of our boys had car trouble, and without giving it a second thought, he grabbed the Buick keys and headed off to work. The ol’ thing didn’t get very far before it coughed a little and gave it up at the side of the road. There would be no more last minute saves by that seasoned Buick.

For our family, that leads to the easy next-step: donation. The SUV doesn’t owe us a thing. From thousands of miles of road trip comfort to truck-like weight-bearing to icy parking lot rescues, it has more than earned its end of life rest.

Five quick minutes on the Donate a Car Canada website and we were in their system for free support. We got our tow timing call the next day, and before we knew it, the Buick was out of sight.

That hardworking auto will keep its generous legacy going by turning into a cash gift for Inn From the Cold, our family’s charity of choice. Fitting for a vehicle that kept us warm and safe over so many kilometers.

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Inn From the Cold is keeping homeless kids safe this winter. We want to help! We assess each vehicle donation individually here at Donate a Car Canada. Sometimes an old clunker that looks like she’s ready for the scrap heap will surprise us. One old Safari van did just that, with happy results for this homeless outreach charities.

One family helps another

When a Calgary family needed to clear their old minivan from the driveway, they discovered the option of gifting any Canadian charity through our program. They donated their Safari, asking that we consider it for re-sale despite it’s age and mileage.

In the market we were in at the time, that was a big ask: the Safari was 20 years old with mileage approaching 300,000 km. On paper, she was ready for her last ride. Finding a buyer for a van on her last legs can be a challenge, but the family requested that we consider her for auction.

Big dollars from old GMC Safari stretch a long way!

Happily, the right buyer just happened to be on site on sale day. The van caught their eye, and a generous sale bid was made. Inn From the Cold was the happy recipient of a gift of over $500.00!

What is “Inn from the Cold”?

Well, they’re a Calgary-based organization with a simple mission. They provide shelter, nutritious food, clothing, medical care and access to education for children and their families.

In 2015, 43,667 shelter bed stays were possible, we served 131,001 meals to homeless children and their families, and were able to offer our Early Childhood Development Programs to 5,535 participants. Your donations allow us to offer shelter, sanctuary, and healing to all of our guests 365 days a year.

IFTC notes that child and family homelessness is growing at an alarming rate. In 2017, they had 33,650 bed stays and throughout 2018 we have seen month over month increases. They have provided care to over 500 children experiencing homelessness since the beginning of 2018.

It’s not the $1,000,000 donation…

…that counts, notes the IFTC website, it’s the million $1.00 donations. A gift of a few hundred dollars stretches a long way to bringing relief, warmth, and education to our country’s most vulnerable families. Our unique Safari donation outcome is one of the great joys of serving our 800+ charities. We know that every vehicle has its own story and deserves a fair chance, and that every dollar that comes from donated vehicle processing counts!

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The Voyager (baby-blue, of course!) was followed by our all-time favorite: our Pontiac Transport. That van was perfect for road tripping, and equipment-hauling. Seven bucket seats go a long way for keeping the peace between three boys under 10 years of age.

Our final minivan purchase was a Dodge Caravan. Yup – the very same model that you see scattered through every grocery store parking lot in North America. We hauled dogs, kids, friends, and gear over thousands of kilometers in that forest-green wonder.

When your minivan has seen better days

It was a happy day for us when our family outgrew the need for such a large mode of transportation. The boys pulled out of team sports and then started driving on their own. We made the season of life change to smaller vehicles. And so many more of them. One family of five seems to need a lot of cars!

At the time that we were ready to surrender minivan ownership,  a little research promised us the option to donate the old vehicle to any Canadian charity!

Does the charity get the minivan? Or just the money from the sale?

With so many causes that our family cares about, we would have had opinionated conversations about who could receive the donation outcome from our last Caravan. In fact, years later, our sons did donate their own first car (a plum-purple Ford Escort) — and choosing just one charity was so hard to do!

Donate a Car Canada facilitates the sale of all donated vehicles. This is done by either recycling or re-selling the cars, trucks, vans, and motorcycles. Boats and RVs are occasionally processed through auction as well! The net proceeds from those sales are sent right off to each donor’s chosen charity.

We don’t have a minivan to donate any more, but with the number of drivers in our family (and the number of vehicles we’re sure to go through in the next 20 years) we expect we’ll have another vehicle up for donation soon!

ps: A little update, as of Spring 2021: our family has gone on to donate 2 more vehicles. One of the lads let go of his beloved Avenger. Our Buick Rendezvous also brought in a donation. Inn from the Cold was the recipient of both of those as well!

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When a Calgary family needed to clear their old minivan from the driveway, they discovered the option of van donation. They donated their Safari, asking that we consider it for re-sale despite it’s age and mileage.

In the market we’re in today this would have been a big ask: the Safari was 20 years old with mileage approaching 300,000 km. On paper, she was ready for her last ride. Finding a buyer for a van on her last legs can be a challenge, but the family requested that we consider her for auction.

Big dollars from old GMC Safari stretch a long way!

Happily, the right buyer just happened to be on site on sale day. The van caught their eye, and a generous sale bid was made. Inn From the Cold was the happy recipient of a gift of over $500.00!

In 2015, 43,667 shelter bed stays were possible, we served 131,001 meals to homeless children and their families, and were able to offer our Early Childhood Development Programs to 5,535 participants. Your donations allow us to offer shelter, sanctuary, and healing to all of our guests 365 days a year.

A giving safari

A gift of a few hundred dollars stretches a long way to bringing relief, warmth, and education to our country’s most vulnerable families. This unique outcome is one of the great joys of serving our 1,000+ charities. We know that every van has its own story and deserves a fair chance, and that every dollar that comes from donated vehicle processing counts!

The post Safari Donation Benefits Homeless Families appeared first on Donate A Car.

Canadians give to the homeless. A warm meal, an extra layer of clothing to ward of a chill Canadian winter, and a kind gesture — Donate a Car has receiving charities that are out on the streets, day and night, helping some of our country’s most vulnerable get a small taste of Christmas cheer through this holiday season. Would you like to join them in your area? We can help by arranging free towing, and gift with no costs to your charity to allow for more donation dollars to go where they’re needed most.

Read on to learn about outreaches in your area, and jump in to lend support where you can. Don’t worry if you miss their project deadlines. These hardworking charities want to hear from you! Or, if you know of a shelter, or relief organization, that might want to benefit from our vehicle donation program long-term, let them know about us. Maybe even considering gifting them with a vehicle donation (the free towing and simple process make it an easy way to give) when opportunity arises?

Here are some folks that would love whatever extra you can share: 

Loaves and Fishes, in a shared project with the local Salvation Army on Vancouver Island, is doing a food hamper drive.

Inn From the Cold in Alberta invites you to sponsor a meal, or creatively contribute in ways that suit you well!

In Saskatoon, the Foodbank and Learning Centre is hosting their Tree of Plenty fundraiser, ensuring support for the community all year long!

The Agape Table in Manitoba strives to provide nutrition and community support year ’round, too. Your contribution today will help!

Ontario donors may wish to connect with the North York harvest Food Bank for their Winter Food Drive.

 On Rock Community Services in Quebec is always taking care of basic needs in their community. You can join their efforts!

Explore giving options near to you in the Maritimes! In New Brunswick, Meals on Wheels Fredericton is always grateful for support.

Thank you for considering these, and other local options, as we share in the generosity of the season!

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