Auto Donation

Auto donations can help the disadvantaged and needy by giving them reliable transportation for their employment needs. Those truly in distress have needs that are crucial to whether they will be able to take the simple step of getting a job to improve their situation and eventually become self-sufficient. An auto donation also helps the vehicle owner in that the owner will get a tax break for donating it. The donating process is simple and there are hundreds of charitable organizations who are willing recipients of the car for non-profit purposes.

It is important for several reasons to donate a car with care to assure the charitable nature of its end-use. The "wolves in sheep's clothing" saying is very prominent in the charitable organization field, and organizations who accept auto donations must be researched carefully in advance. If the auto donation is intended to be used for tax deductible reasons, the receiving organization, the agreed value, the end-use, and the accompanying paperwork must all meet IRS guidelines. The "wolves" are "for-profit" companies who portray themselves as non-profits with numerous references to "helping the children." Their play on sympathy is often a ploy to soft-hearted folk who have a legitimate car to donate that in the end is misused and any tax deduction anticipated becomes void.

In order for donated cars to truly help the disadvantaged, it is important to find well-established organizations that spell out their intended use and have verifiable non-profit credentials. It is important to find out what will happen with the auto donation if it has no resale value. Recycling programs are not the same as donating a car. However, they can benefit those unqualified to receive a tax deduction but want the advantage of free pick-up for the vehicle and perhaps some other benefit. Curious "benefits" include such deals as receiving a travel vacation package to tropical locations in exchange for auto donations. It is important to note that "recycling" is NOT the same as donating a car and is excluded from use as a tax deduction or other non-profit donation benefits. For-profit companies may not fully disclose the disposition of the vehicles. Although they will indeed make a contribution to some needy person(s) or a disaster relief fund, they usually retain the lion's share of the receipts with perhaps 10% going to the relief efforts.

Justifying covert behavior for a semi-good reason is not possible with God. He has dealt with such humans over the history of the world, and will do so again. His warning to "the wolves [in the land that is not cleansed] ravening the prey, ... to get dishonest gain. ... [who say], 'Thus saith the Lord God,' when the Lord hath not spoken. The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy; yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. ...Therefore, I have poured out mine indignation upon them, I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath," (Ezekiel 22:27-31).

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