Who should we donate this car to?

January 16, 2017 2:58 PM

We've been charged with donating a family member's 24 year old Toyota Corolla which has reached the point of needing a new transmission. To whom should we donate the car?

We are in southernmost Westchester County, the car is in Rockland County but can likely be driven to a nearby location if necessary.

Before anyone asks why we are getting rid of this awesome car - it really is time and it is starting to eat money. The transmission has become what I'd call "semi-automatic" in that you have to start in 1st and then progress gently to drive. And it was being used for a two hour commute which wasn't doing it any favors.

What we're looking for is an awesome deserving charity that takes used cars (preferably without an annoying jingle if you know what I mean).

posted by sciencegeek to Grab Bag (10 answers total)

If the car's likely to be a drain on finances and you don't object to it being scrapped, donate it to the local Fire Department, which will use it to train firefighters in extricating passengers from vehicles.

There's also Wheels for Wishes, which partners with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
posted by essexjan at 3:05 PM on January 16, 2017 [2 favorites]

If no one comes in with a specific suggestion, call around to very small charities/orgs in your area who are doing good works and ask them if they can use your car.

(That's how we ended up donating our family minivan with a bust transmission to the rape crisis center in Moab, Utah--we were out there with a car that wouldn't get us back home, so we asked around. The crisis center had a handyman who did a lot for work for their center but needed a new vehicle, and the center was able to take our van and give it to him in trade for work he did for them. The car got to someone who needed it and the crisis center was a beneficiary of the donation, even though the center itself had no need for a car.)
posted by phunniemee at 3:05 PM on January 16, 2017

There's a good chance your local public radio station could use it. I think that's who I wound up giving my zillion year old Toyota Cressida to. They all work with other organizations usually to do the actual getting of the car etc. Around here we have a place called Good News Garage. I don't think they reach out to there but they are super duper worthwhile and I bet if you call them they could suggest a local place if they can't do it.
posted by jessamyn at 3:11 PM on January 16, 2017 [2 favorites]

Seconding your local public radio.
posted by headnsouth at 3:28 PM on January 16, 2017 [3 favorites]

What charities do you support? When it came time to donate my BMW 330xi money pit I donated it to my local SPCA. They had a local salvage company pick it up and sell it.
posted by Rob Rockets at 3:55 PM on January 16, 2017

I would contact Rockland BOCES, Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES and/or Southern Westchester BOCES. They all have trade programs teaching car mechanics. They all need cars. I think you want the Director of CTE.
posted by AugustWest at 4:31 PM on January 16, 2017

WNYC definitely takes car donations.

I also took a look at the HOPE food kitchen in New Rochelle; they don't have anything about accepting cars on their web page but if you call them they might be able to take it.
posted by thecaddy at 4:37 PM on January 16, 2017

I actually did donate a junky old Malibu to WNYC, but they were my local station, since I'm in Brooklyn. If you want to select your own local NPR station (or any other NPR station), you should check out Car Talk's Vehicle Donation Program .
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 6:09 PM on January 16, 2017 [1 favorite]

My BF's family has donated cars to the JDRF.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:37 PM on January 16, 2017 [1 favorite]

If you are contacting PNW BOCES, the contact person there is Joy Myke On tomorrow's Board meeting agenda, they are accepting a donation of a car. See item #1.
posted by AugustWest at 8:14 PM on January 16, 2017