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Where Are They Now? Stories About The Cars We Donated & The People Who Benefitted From Them

For many years, Cars 2nd Chance has donated cars to people and organizations in need. In this month’s blog, we thought we would look at the stories behind those car donations and find out what happened to the people and charities who benefitted from them.

Story #1

In 2017, the local Rotary Clubs donated vehicles to families in need within Contra Costa County. On May 4, 2017, the Clayton Valley-Concord Sunrise Rotary Club presented a refurbished 1998 Dodge Caravan to a family in need at the Monument Crisis Center. 

The Caravan was donated to Rotary by a Walnut Creek resident and was rehabilitated through donations of parts, time, and labor by local automotive services businesses, including:

  • Mechanical repairs from D&H Enterprises, owned by Dave and Mary Kemnitz
  • Smog repair parts and labor from West Coast Muffler, Automotive Service Councils of California ( ASCCA), and Steve Elstins
  • Paint and bodywork (complete) from Simply Superior Auto Body, owned by Rich Lezcano (a Rotary Club of Concord member)

Today, that family is doing well and appreciative of all the help they got from Cars 2nd Chance.

 Story #2

Another happy story is linked to a donated Recreational Vehicle. The Rotary Clubs of Clayton Valley/Concord and Moraga turned an unwanted motorhome into hope in Sierra Leone with the help of Cars2ndChance. The proceeds from the RV sale were matched by Rotary International and a project that the Moraga Rotary had undertaken in Sierra Leone to help children orphaned by the Ebola epidemic.

Story #3

After the Paradise Camp Fire in October of 2018, Cars 2nd Chance immediately jumped into action to provide needed vehicles to the Paradise fire victims.  Collaborating with California Vocations whose entire facility had been destroyed during the fire, Cars 2nd Chance reached out to the SF Bay Area Community for help. A total of 65 cars were donated, reconditioned, and sent to Paradise. Here are photos of one of the caravans of donated cars to Chico delivered to those fire victims. Of the 65 vehicles donated by Cars 2nd Chance, Seven people delivered these six donated cars on Friday, Feb 1, 2019.

 Before this special delivery, we met and finished the paperwork in the conference room of D&H Enterprises in Concord. Seven people caravanned in six cars to Chico to make the delivery. Some of the photos showed the cars crossing the bridge and entering Chico city limits.

Many families who lost everything in the fire were incredibly grateful to receive donated vehicles. Today, these fire victims have settled into new homes, rebuilt their lives and businesses, and thrived.

Cars 2nd Chance was developed to help others and make the world a better place through donated vehicles. There are many other happy stories to share, but we will save them for a later time. 

If you want to buy a donated vehicle, give cash, or present a car to Cars 2nd Chance, now is a great time to share! We hope these happy stories will inspire you to donate your unused vehicle. Your car or cash donation will help someone recover from a natural disaster or receive food from the Food Bank. First, reach out to cars2ndchance@gmail.com to donate a vehicle that runs, or send an email to clunkers4charity@gmail.com to donate a car that does not run. As always, we appreciate your love and support!

New Year’s Resolutions Around Charity & Doing Good For Others

Image by Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay 

Now that 2020 is behind us and we have moved into 2021, many of us are giving thought to New Year’s Resolutions. For us, our New Year’s Resolutions for 2021 revolve around charity and doing good for others. That is why in this month’s blog, we want to share some ideas we have about giving to others to make the world a better place.

 

Though many claim that the year 2020 was a dumpster fire of a year, we at Cars 2nd Chance found a silver lining of good coming out of a challenging year. For one, we saw that more people were quickly becoming food insecure during the early months of Covid-19. That is why we were inspired to take the money from car donations and support the Food Bank of Solano and Contra Costa Counties. In 10 months, we have donated $50,000 and pledged $100,000 to the Food Bank to help feed hungry families and individuals within our communities.

 

We also took the initiative to provide donated cars to families and individuals in need. Some were young couples starting their lives together, while others were disabled or homeless. To see car donations come through that would lend a hand up to those who needed extra support, it warmed our hearts to see that much good coming out of our Cars 2nd Chance program.

 

We are hoping with all our might that 2021 is going to be a better, more stable, and productive year, but there are no guarantees. Two years ago, we gave donated cars to people who lost their homes in the Paradise Camp Fire disaster. There is and always will be a need to help others facing significant challenges within our community. That is why our New Year’s Resolutions continue to focus on charity and doing good for others. It’s who we are as Rotarians, and that is why we love all the goodness that comes through our Cars 2nd Chance program.

 

If you are still undecided about what you want to do for yourself and others in 2021, we invited you to resolve to help those in need through Cars 2nd Chance. If you have a car you wish to donate, our donation process is super easy. If you, instead, prefer to donate cash, we are open to that as well. Or, if you find that you are the one in need of help, ask, and we’ll do our part to assist you. When you willingly give, you are likely to get more, due to your generosity.

 

If you want to buy a donated vehicle, give cash, or present a car to Cars 2nd Chance, now is a great time to share! If you resolve to give more this year, donate your unused vehicle to help someone recover from a natural disaster or receive food from the Food Bank. First, reach out to cars2ndchance@gmail.com to donate a car that runs, or send an email to clunkers4charity@gmail.com to donate a car that does not run. We appreciate your love and support!

End Of Year Giving

Ah, December! It’s our favorite time of year. This month is when we put forth an extra effort towards giving a bit more at the end of the year.

2020 has been an interesting year, at best. Cars 2nd Chance has been busy processing car donations that benefit the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. We also have donated cars to people who lost their vehicles in the Paradise Campfire of 2018, as well as funding an end to polio in 2016-2017. Cars 2nd Chance pursues opportunities and partnerships that will help us reduce suffering, improve quality of life, and lift each other up through car donations.

We have explained our process quite a bit on our website, but to reiterate, the donation process is quite simple. If you have a car you want to donate — regardless if it is running or not — contact us here and we will walk you through the process.  

Look, we know that 2020 has been life-changing for everyone. Some have been using the additional time at home to their benefit. They have been cleaning and organizing their closets, getting rid of old furniture that no longer serves them, emptying old storage lockers of items they no longer need and finding new homes for their old cars. If you have a vehicle that is taking up space in your garage that you don’t plan to repair or use any longer, why not donate it to Cars 2nd Chance?

There are so many benefits to giving donated items at the end of the year. It’s good for tax deductions if you’re seeking a tax break. It’s a great lesson you can share with your children and grandchildren about helping others who are less fortunate. Plus, it feels good, knowing that your donation is benefiting charities who are doing their part to make the world a better place. 

If you do not have a vehicle to donate but you would like to help Cars 2nd Chance, we accept cash donations as well. By donating money, you can still get the tax benefits and the good feelings of being a philanthropist.

Lastly, another way you can help Cars 2nd Chance is to purchase one of our donated vehicles. If you, a family member, or a friend of yours is in the market for a used vehicle, Cars 2nd Chance has some amazing cars for sale that might surprise you! Some of our favorites are this beautiful 1971 VW Beetle show car, and a lovely Mazda Miata. Not all donated cars are junkers, that’s for sure!

Cars 2nd Chance is making a positive impact on Rotary Clubs and communities internationally as well. For example, the Rotary Club of San Felipe in Baja, Mexico, is also sharing our mission and seeking car donations. Truly, the combined efforts of our partners are inspiring. Check out the full list of our partners to see who is going the extra mile to give others a chance at a better life.

If you want to buy a donated vehicle, give cash, or donate a vehicle to Cars 2nd Chance, December is the best time to give! To celebrate the religious holidays and show the children in your life about giving, donate your unused car to help someone recover from a natural disaster, or receive food from the Food Bank. To begin, reach out to cars2ndchance@gmail.com to donate a vehicle that runs, or send an email to clunkers4charity@gmail.com to donate a car that does not run. We appreciate your love and support!