The proceeds from Kars4Kids car donations mainly go to fund Oorah programs, which include family outreach, education services, mentorships, and summer camp scholarships. But there is so much more we’d like to do to help children. Which is why we started a small grant program some years ago. Giving modest amounts of money to organizations doing amazing work is a way of partnering in that work. And that’s something we want to do.

Our small grant program means that while we don’t have a specific program for helping foster children, we partner with several organizations that do. That means that when you donate a car, you’re also helping those organizations, and those children, too. (Perhaps that’s the meaning of the phrase, “it takes a village.”)

We’d like to tell you about some of the foster care-related organizations we’re helping (you too, you wonderful donor, you!) through our small grant program:

Daniel

Daniel has been serving children at risk in Jacksonville, Florida since 1884. It’s where children can receive the help they need that no one else can give them. The children at Daniel may have serious mental health issues, or they may have ended up on the wrong side of the law. Some of the children at Daniel are victims of parental neglect. They’ve never known love. They’ve not been given the emotional and physical support that all children deserve by virtue of their birth.

Daniel helps rehabilitate children, gives them treatment, life skills, and a place to live, too. Lean more about Daniel HERE. We are proud to partner with this work!

Whaley Children’s Center

Whaley Children’s Center in Flint, Michigan, takes in foster children who are between homes. They may be children who have just entered the system who are reeling from being parted from their families and an abusive or neglectful home. Or they may be children who have been bounced around from foster home to foster home. These are children who are hurting deeply. Whaley tries to give them lots of healing love and warmth, and self-esteem, too.

This was one organization we just had to help. Reading about those kids just broke our hearts. You can read about them HERE.

Rise Above

Rise Above serves 10,000 foster children in Massachusetts, filling in the gaps of lost opportunity. Children can apply for things they desperately want: a bicycle, art lessons, a doll. In providing their hearts’ desire, Rise Above sends a much-needed lesson to these children: we think you deserve to be petted and spoiled, to have that thing you want most in the world.

Part of being a parent is saying no to a child. But these are children who have heard “no” way too often. We are so glad to have partnered in their work. Find out more HERE.

Kind to Kids

Kind to Kids, at this writing, is the newest kid on the block in terms of being a Kars4Kids small grant recipient. The president and founder of this organization, Caroline Jones, works as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) with the Family Court of Delaware where she serves children in foster care and testifies on their behalf. One of Kind to Kids’ signature programs is the “My Blue Duffle” emergency care package for children who have just entered the foster care system.

Kids who enter the system have their belongings placed in a garbage bag, for want of a better system. Jones thought it would make such a difference if, instead, the kids had a brand new, brightly colored duffel bag to house their things. For just $25, Kind to Kids provides a child with a new duffel bag containing a blanket, socks, a new toy, a coloring book, and some crayons. This is just one of many programs for foster children at Kind to Kids. Find out more about this caring organization HERE.

We hope to tell you more about the various organizations we’ve partnered with through the Kars4Kids small grant program. Our greatest wish is to empower the children, wherever they are. We hope that in giving these modest sums away, we’re also empowering you, the donor, to know that you’ve done a really good deed in choosing to donate your car to us.