Using Our Cars For Charity

[eagleone1983]

Hey guys. I was just wondering if anyone on here has ever used thier cars for doing any charity type things. I've been thinking for a while about starting some sort of charity with my car. Whether it be giving rides to veterans or sick children that love our cars but would never be able to afford them. Or offering rides for donations to help a family in need.

Especially around the holidays there are a lot of people that push thier pride aside and ask for help and I'm wanting to do something different then giving a little of what I can or giving a few toys to the Marines like I do every year.

On the flip side do you think giving rides to people could put me in some sort of a legal dilemma should something happen?

 

[D575]

Yeah, They could pay for gas !

 

[99ss]

"Your ride is here" ... check it out... I wanted to do something like that for people as well

 

[egrand1508]

"Your Ride is Here" looks like a great idea.

I would check with a local hospice or children's hospital, or better yet talk to the Shriner's. They specialize in helping sick kids. I'm on the board of a couple local not-for-profits. As to legal issues, I wouldn't go out and do it my own if I were you. Go through another organization as their volunteers are covered.

I have helped with some local car shows too and I can tell you just taking your car to a charity show or cruise night is a big help. It really hurts to go to a lot of work planning a show and not have many people show up. But, when you get cars you get people coming to see them and donations go up.

 

[Bruzilla]

There's a guy here in the Jacksonville area who has a bunch of collector cars, including a nice Superbird, who loans them out to at least one father of a handicapped child who uses the cars to take the kid out on the weekends. I don't know what the details are, or how liability is managed, but that's what he does.

 

[eagleone1983]

Maybe I'll look into teaming up with a charity then. As far as the "Your ride is here" charity that seems like more of a service type to get from point a to point b. I'm looking to take them more on a joy riding type ride.

 

[99ss]

Well a joy ride is nice but someone who needs a ride to get to the hospital has more meaning IMO.
The joy is in the ride and it can be a "joy" ride too. Once the apt is done and they want you can do what ever.. Combine the two...
I think you would be doing a much greater service this way... BUt you could also look at the make a wish foundation and offer your service to them as well. Anything for charity is certainly better than nothing at all

 

[Darter6]

At one time We were doing Drag racing,TV shows,Car builds, And offered up anything we could do for Make a Wish. Sent donation and a formal letter,, Never heard a word from them. That was 10 years ago. Things may be different now.

 

[Propwash]

I could see a donation from proceeds, but as far as lending cars or giving rides, sounds like a legal nightmare waiting to happen. Heck of a nice gesture, but folks are so sue happy I would never do it. Get in an accident, someone supposedly hurts their neck or back, boom their after you, your insurance company and now the charity as well. JMO...sad to say, but I could see that playing out in today's world.

 

[Northwest]

Here is a link to a really cool thing that some folks did up here for an ill Vietnam vet last year. The guy was a huge Demon fan and an ex racer. His doc knew he couldn't drive anymore and got the word out apparently.

I didn't get to participate in it, but really wanted to. Maybe someone on this board knows more about it. This is the kind of stuff that I think car clubs could do more of, and is kindof in the realm of stuff I think you're all talking about.

http://www.kare11.com/video/1273726680001/48323000001/Angels-and-Dodge-Demons

 

[67 coronet]

awsome idea.i love doing stuff for charity.try to keep it local and you will probly have better luck.make a wish and others wont normally respond to the average person,only interested in companys and celebritys.

 

[eagleone1983]

yeah it would definitly stay local. I'd probably have a lawyer write up a responsibility waiver for those we take along. I wouldn't be loaning my car, it's the only one I have and my baby, so I'd always be the driver. I'm just trying to think a way to share this with those that don't get to be as lucky as I've been in life to have this hobby.

Northwest, that's what I'm talking about. I'm only 29 so I wasn't around during Vietnam but I understand what these guys left behind and came back too. My wife and I deploy and come back to flags and cheers...they didn't. I just figured there are those out there that would love the experience of riding in a old muscle car.

 

[Propwash]

yeah it would definitly stay local. I'd probably have a lawyer write up a responsibility waiver for those we take along.

Good idea.

 

[Northwest]

yeah it would definitly stay local. I'd probably have a lawyer write up a responsibility waiver for those we take along. I wouldn't be loaning my car, it's the only one I have and my baby, so I'd always be the driver. I'm just trying to think a way to share this with those that don't get to be as lucky as I've been in life to have this hobby.

Northwest, that's what I'm talking about. I'm only 29 so I wasn't around during Vietnam but I understand what these guys left behind and came back too. My wife and I deploy and come back to flags and cheers...they didn't. I just figured there are those out there that would love the experience of riding in a old muscle car.

Eagleone - I guess I'd start by talking to folks in a local car club. Probably a small one that is looking to do an event. Present your idea of taking a vet or two out on veterans day, or a family of a deployed service member in the hobby on the 4th of July, or maybe the family of a passed serviceman on Memorial day.

The story that I linked to was essentially one guy give a vet a ride, and the rest just cruising along. Still very cool though, and newsworthy too. Probably need a waiver for the ridealong - so get a lawyer too.

Good luck on your pursuits. It puts the hobby in a positive light, which can never hurt. Makes up for all us goof-offs doing burnouts in the church parking lot!!

 

[Budnicks]

Sounds like a great idea but, "Pets for the cure" I think it used to be called, I did a deal a few years ago, with the local hospitals, bringing my very docile Chocolate Lab Buddy {Lord Budnicks} in for brightening up, especially sick or terminally ill children & elderly people spirits, he really brightened up the rooms, it was a great feeling, we both loved doing it regularly... I found out latter, after I quit doing it, Buddy is too old now & it was too tough on me, to see people one day & gone the next, way too many times & if anything happened because of my dog, being part of a charity group or not "I would have still been completely liable & legally volnerable/responcable".... I would think the proper insurance, culpability/liability to cover you & a minimum of 2nd party liability, if not 1st party "liability issues" would be many/complicated & could be a big deterrent or very expensive too {I have no idea what the actual costs would be}, if you wanted to be able to insure your self, I'm sure there is some sort of insurance carrier that covers stuff like that too, remember it's "your property", so if someone falls - getting in or out of the car, gets a scrape or cut, god forbid you get in a wreck someone gets seriously hurt, or even sickly people might think it's "too rough of of a ride", or sadly some shady/unscrupulous people or relatives, faking injuries or claiming who knows what, trying to capitalize on any opportunity, or what ever possible scenario you could think of, to sue you, get you money/personal property... Talk to a lawyer 1st I would say... I hate to sound like such a pessimist, but nowadays you need to cover your own *** 1st, even when doing something good or charitable... The group I was doing it with is no longer in business either... Good luck, great thoughts

 

[Moparsmitty]

That's a pretty cool video, Northwest. It's great when individual owners or clubs can do this kind of good deed.
One thing that a lot of owners don't seem to realize is how much good they can do by simply showing up and participating at shows and supporting the charity work of their local car clubs. If you can give your time and energy helping out at the show, all the better.

 

[Budnicks]

. My wife and I deploy and come back to flags and cheers...they didn't. I just figured there are those out there that would love the experience of riding in a old muscle car.

Thank you & your wife "very much" for your military services to our great country...

 

[egrand1508]

Bad news....

I just checked with a source that the historical society and museum I'm with uses for legal advice, and under federal laws volunteers of a not-for-profit are generally exempt from liability, unless they are acting negligent or criminally. The reason is because the volunteer is assumed to be normally acting in good faith and the person accepting the charity is said to be assuming a certain amout of risk in taking something for free. EXCEPT, when the volunteer is operating a motor vehicle, boat, plane, or motorcycle. Then the liability falls on the person or the insurance company that is covering the vehicle, not the charity. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/14503

So, I guess you would need to talk to your insurace company first about using your car in any way.

The other thing about not doing this yourself and going through another organization is the chairty should be screening people so they know they are legitimate and really need help. As an example: I have worked with our local ministerial alliance and they help people who are homeless and need food and a hotel room for a few nights. The first thing they do before they give any aid is make sure the person has an ID...no ID no help. Then they take them to the police station and have them run a background check to make sure they're not wanted or a missing person...if they don't agree, no help. You as an average citizen can't go to the police and get someone's background check. But, a charity can.

Also, the charity should be screening the volunteers too. I don't have any kids, but if I did I wouldn't want them getting in a car with someone I don't know unless I was sure they were ok'd by the charity.

Don't let this discourage you from helping. If you want to help vets, check with your local AMVETS or American Legion, believe me they need help as most of those guys are getting older and loosing volunteers. If nothing else, just find a chance to talk to them. They appreciate the attention and some of the best stories I have ever heard come from vets. They could get pretty wild back in the day too.

 

[mosquito13]

http://www.itnsarasota.org/ super fun doing a burnout going to the doctors office with a walker in the backseat! some great stories are more than covering the gas.