Ahmad said he was extremely grateful for the help his family is receiving from SVdP.

At St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County, we see every day how something as ordinary as a car can become something extraordinary in the hands of a family in need. Through our Car Donation Program, generous donors help us turn unused vehicles into life-changing resources for low-income families, and one recent story shows just how powerful that gift can be.

Ahmad and his wife and three children arrived in the United States from Afghanistan in January. Ahmad had worked as a security guard at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, but when they came to California, the government’s promised resettlement support for families like his was suddenly cut. With no access to reliable transportation, Ahmad and his family were forced to rely on public transit and bicycles to get around, a daily challenge that made everything from school drop-offs to job interviews more difficult.

That’s where a generous car donor stepped in. A local supporter gave SVdP a used minivan, an ideal family vehicle. It needed some repairs, but thanks to our program, we had a way to fund the work. When a donated car can’t be fixed or matched with a family, we sell it at auction. The proceeds are then used to repair other donated vehicles that just need a little work. That’s exactly what happened here. Through this creative model, the funds from one unusable vehicle made it possible to get the minivan road-ready for Ahmad’s family.

When we handed Ahmad the keys, it meant more than transportation. It meant dignity, freedom, and opportunity. Now, he can more easily access work, his children can get to school safely, and the family can connect with friends and community as they rebuild their lives in a new country. “We are so grateful,” Ahmad told us. “This will help us move forward.”

Whether your car is running or not, donating it to SVdP can make a real difference. If it drives, we’ll try to match it with a local family in need. If it doesn’t, we’ll use it to make another match possible.

You may not need that old car anymore, but someone else might need it more than you know.