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Give Back This Mother’s Day: Donate Your Car to a Single Mother

In whatever way you choose to honor the mother or mothers in your life, we invite you to take a moment to hold space for all the single mothers in the world who play the role of not one, but two parents for their child or children. As you can probably imagine, it’s not easy for single mothers to provide all the needs of their families on their own. This year, if you are able and feel called to do so, consider donating your car to a single mother in need. By doing so, you truly could change their lives for the better.

According to the 2021 Census Bureau, out of about 11 million single parent families with children under the age of 18, nearly 80% were headed by single mothers. The most critical areas affecting single moms in the U.S. today include employment, income security, healthcare inequality, poverty pains, childcare, and housing, just to name a few.

When it comes to employment, many single mothers have to figure out the costs and logistics of childcare, ensuring it doesn’t interfere with their work hours. The poverty rate among single mother-led families is 5 times greater than that of married couples. This affects not just the life of the mother, but also her children’s lives and their overall wellbeing and success. Therefore, donating a car to a single mother in need can make it possible for her to show up to her daily responsibilities for herself and her family. From getting to and from work, to picking up her kids from school, and attending their after-school activities, having a car gives a mother the means to live the kind of live so many of us take for granted.

Imagine your life as a single mother for a moment. You wake up in the morning and brew yourself a cup of coffee. Then you go get your kids up, fed, and changed for school, all while trying to get yourself ready for the day. Then you usher everyone into the car, reminding the kids to grab their lunchboxes that hopefully, you remembered to pack. You drive them to school, walk them to the front door, and rush back to your car, hoping you didn’t get a ticket for double parking. You continue with your morning, driving into work and rushing to make it on time. Now, take a second to imagine doing all of that, but this time, you don’t have access to a car. You have to find a way to get your kids to school and get yourself to work, relying entirely on a school bus and public transportation. It’s not even 8:00 am; how is your stress level? Probably pretty high.

This is only a small glimpse into the life of a single mom without access to a car, which is why your donation means so much. When you donate a car to a single mother in need, you are giving them the gift of independence as they no longer must rely on help outside of themselves for transportation, access to better paying jobs that they can now drive to, and the ability to show up for their children’s extra-curricular activities. Simply put – you are giving them the keys to a better life for themselves and their families.

With 81,000 low-income families without cars in Baltimore and 45-54% of all Baltimore and D.C. jobs reachable in 90 minutes, the gift of a car is life changing. If you are interested in learning more about donating your car, visit Vehicles for Change.  So far, Vehicles for Change has had the opportunity to offer over 7,500 cars and transformed the lives of over 25,000 families because of donors just like you.

If you are ready to donate your car today, there’s good news: it can be done in three simple steps.

  1. Fill out a donation form here or call 855-820-7990.
  2. Schedule the pickup and prepare your vehicle.
  3. Meet the tow truck on pickup day!