Habitat for Humanity’s Car Donation Program

You have all heard the horror stories of homeless families forced to live in their cars. But did you know your own old car could help a family realize the dream of owning a home of their own, through Habitat for Humanity’s Car Donation Program?

Donating a car, running or not, to Habitat for Humanity, helps them with their great work of fighting poverty and building communities. Habitat’s Cars for Homes Program, helps deserving families build or rebuild homes, and if you itemize your taxes, you may be entitled to a Tax deduction.

Your donated vehicle goes right to helping folks in your own community. Cars for Homes distributes the proceeds earned from the sale of your car, truck, RV or other vehicle directly to your local Habitat Affiliate. Since Habitat for Humanity is a trusted and certified 501(c)(3) organization, in general, if you itemize your taxes and your vehicle sells for more than $500, you may deduct the full selling price. If it sells for less, you may deduct the fair market value up to $500.00 You will receive the appropriate receipt from Habitat for Humanity after the sale of your donated car. There are never any costs to you to donate a vehicle; pick-arrangements and the entire donation process can be accomplished online.

If you are considering donating your vehicle to a charity, why not choose a well-respected one such as Habitat for Humanity? You know there are good, hard-working families in every community living in sub-standard housing. Habitat for Humanity helps poverty stricken families build decent, affordable homes, by giving them a “hand-up not a hand-out.” Donating through the Cars for Homes program supports this well-known and worthy mission.

While Cars for Homes accepts any vehicles for donation all year long, in April of 2009 in honor of Earth Day, they sponsored a special car-recycling event. In a company Press Release issued at the time of the event Marcia Rundle, director Habitat’s Cars for Homes said, “In celebration of Earth Day, we are inviting supporters to help eliminate substandard housing and homelessness by recycling their old vehicles. The proceeds from car donations help purchase building materials and result in homes built in partnership with families in need of decent shelter.”

While Cars for Homes benefits greatly form the sale of late model, running vehicles at auction, the Earth Day event was designed to remind potential donors that even “junk cars” have value. Approximately 75 percent of a car’s content can be recycled. Every year, roughly 14 million cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, snowmobiles, trailers and recreational vehicles find new life as recycled material.

You can donate a vehicle or find out more about Habitat for Humanities Cars for Homes program by logging on to www.carsforhomes.org, or calling (877) 277-4344.