Tax Writeoff Archives - Car 2nd Chance

A New Partner: Orinda Association

In this month’s blog, we are featuring one of our new partners, the Orinda Association.

Based in Orinda, California, the Orinda Association is a community-focused nonprofit that supports various local groups. They are a wonderful organization that participates in events such as:

Donate box meals to honor Contra Costa Hospital Workers
Orinda Volunteer Center
The Orinda Annual Classic Car Show
The annual Fourth of July Parade
Transportation for Seniors Around Town
The Orinda News
Cars 2nd Chance
Orinda Community Foundation
And many more…

Founded in 1946, the Orinda Association set out to improve life quality for those living in Orinda. They have multiple volunteer events that enhance the natural beauty, community-mindedness, and character of the Orinda community. The Orinda News is the local printed news delivered to every Orinda household for free, and it’s available online.

Cars 2nd Chance is delighted to have the Orinda Association as a partner. On their website home page, they talk about our good deeds through monies raised by donated cars. https://orindaassociation.org/

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! Tax Day, spring cleaning, and the desire to clear out the clutter from your garage could 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!

5 Unusual Ways To Show Love

Photo by Michael Fenton on Unsplash

This Valentine’s Day, you have the choice to show your love in the typical way or try something different. For a lot of us, doing a last-minute trip to the store to grab a bouquet of flowers and making dinner reservations is our annual go-to method. Can you relate?

But in 2021, we thought we would come up with five unusual, or atypical, ways to show love. Take a look and let us know what you think:

Get your sweetheart’s car serviced.

One of the sweetest things you can do for your loved one is to take care of their car. Nothing says “I love you” quite like a freshly-washed vehicle that has been recently serviced and has a full gas tank. Taking care of your sweetheart’s car, in big and small ways, shows you care about their well-being and safety. Contact your favorite mechanic today to show some love to their auto repair team as well. If you don’t have a favorite mechanic, Cars 2nd Chance recommends D&H Enterprises in Concord, California.

Donate an old vehicle you no longer use to charity.

Got an old car or truck you no longer use? If there is an underutilized vehicle you own that is running or not, you can donate it to charity. That’s a fantastic way to show your love for humanity. Cars 2nd Chance is one of those nonprofit organizations that help families in need. Our donated cars have benefited the Food Bank of Solano and Contra Costa Counties, the Monument Crisis Center, victims of the Paradise Fire of 2018, and many, many Rotary projects both locally and internationally. Regardless if your old vehicle is running or not, Cars 2nd Chance will be delighted to accept it. If it still has life in it, we will repair it before placing it in the hands of the next owner. For more information, visit our FAQs page.

Take a day trip to explore your region.

With the decline of airline travel, road trips have become the hottest way to explore your own backyard. Why not take a day trip with your sweetheart to go on a local adventure? Getting out of your daily routine is a great way to focus on your significant other, make some new memories, and find local treasures you may have overlooked before your trip. Breaking out of the daily blahs may rekindle that special spark in your relationship and allow you to appreciate the gems found within your own geographical region.

Pack a picnic and drive to a beautiful location.

Whether or not you take that day trip in your region, you may want to add this option to your list in showing love. Pack a picnic for two and dine together at a beautiful location. Maybe it’s a picnic by the rocky coastline of Central California? Maybe it’s a backpacked lunch at the summit of a hiking trail? Maybe it’s spreading a big blanket over the lush grass of a neighborhood park? If you pack a picnic and take your sweetheart to a beautiful location, that’s a terrific way to show some love.

Get out in nature.

As you can see, we are big fans of getting outside in nature. With health being a focus for so many of us throughout the pandemic, getting outside in nature is both good for our physical and mental health. If you are unable to take your loved ones outside for long periods of time, you can always take a walk around your neighborhood or place a few chairs in your backyard. Getting some sunshine on your skin allows your body to produce Vitamin D, which is an excellent way to boost your immune system. Getting quiet with your sweetheart and listening to the birds, the wind in the trees, seeing a neighbor’s waving hand, and breathing in fresh air is a wonderful way to show love for yourself and others. Getting out in nature does the body good, as well as the mind.

If you want to show more love in unusual ways, Cars 2nd Chance can help. Buy a donated vehicle, give cash, or present a car to Cars 2nd Chance. Now is a great time to share! If you donate your unused vehicle, you 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 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!

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!

Riding A Successful 2016 | Donate That Car

Tax Write Off & Giving Tuesday Spirit Through December

2016 has been a banner year for local and international giving through Cars2ndChance. We have been immensely proud to serve the Concord, San Ramon, Clayton, Lamorinda and entire Bay Area and beyond (!) for 18 years. Cars2ndChance and Concord/Clayton Sunrise Rotary Club have been providing valuable tax credits when vehicles are donated, running or not. A quick click to our Donation page or phone call to 925-326-5868 before 12/31/16 can yield big benefits — perhaps even pay for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping you and I did!

Our service includes additional benefits including the option of selecting one of many community non-profit organizations that receive 50% of all sale or sale-for-parts. See the list of non-profits supported.

Have a question? Our FAQ may have the answer. If not, please give us a call — we would be happy to help.

We’re often asked, why Cars2ndChance and not another worthwhile organization that accepts vehicle donations?

First, check with the organization to determine how much every dollar goes to overhead. Cars2ndChance overhead is very small — also Cars2ndChance Concord has been extremely successful and is a large, well-supported program started by D&H Enterprises, Concord for the Sunrise Clayton Valley / Concord Rotary Club. The spirit of Giving Tuesday continues on into December — your support makes a difference in your community and in the world!