Cars for Homeless

Why this matters

When people first lose their home, many hold on to the one thing they have left: the car. It is a bed, a locker and the way to work. So they keep paying the car loan. Then one payment is missed, the car is repossessed, and they are on the street with nothing. The spiral is fast.

A car that is owned outright cannot be taken for a missed payment. That is the whole idea.

How it works

1. People apply online. Every applicant must have a valid driver’s license and no DUI, and agrees to a background check, a drug test, and to keep the car insured and licensed.
2. They are screened and approved. Every application is screened automatically and then reviewed and approved by the Foundation before anyone is shown to donors.
3. You choose. Approved applicants who agree to share their story appear below, by first name and state only. You pick the person your car goes to, or ask us to suggest someone near you.
4. Final checks, then the keys. Before any car is handed over, the person you chose must pass a background check, a driving-record check and a drug test, show proof of insurance, and sign a recipient agreement.
to that person, titled in their name, free and clear. It is never sold at auction, and the Foundation never handles any money from it.

For donors: the tax difference

When a charity sells a donated car, the donor can usually deduct only what it sold for. When the charity gives the car directly to a person in need, as this program does, the donor may be able to deduct the car’s fair market value. The Foundation reports this to you on IRS Form 1098-C. See IRS Publication 4303, and check with your tax adviser.