http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32490342/ns/business-autos

Car shoppers have a few more days to take advantage of popular program

msnbc.com news services

updated 2:41 p.m. MT, Thurs., Aug 20, 2009

The Obama administration plans to end the popular $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program on Monday, giving car shoppers a few more days to take advantage of big government incentives.

The Transportation Department said Thursday the government will wind down the program on Monday at 8 p.m. EDT. Car buyers can receive rebates of $3,500 or $4,500 for trading in older vehicles for new, more fuel-efficient models.

“It’s been a thrill to be part of the best economic news story in America,” Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. “Now we are working toward an orderly wind down of this very popular program.”

Through Thursday, auto dealers have made deals worth $1.9 billion and are on pace to exhaust the program’s $3 billion in early September. The incentives have generated more than 457,000 vehicle sales. Administration officials said they have reviewed nearly 40 percent of the transactions and have already paid out $145 million to dealers.

Administration officials said applications for rebates will not be accepted after 8 p.m. EDT Monday and dealers should not make additional sales without receiving all the necessary paperwork from their customers. Dealers will be able to resubmit rejected applications after the deadline.

President Barack Obama said in an interview Thursday that the program has been “successful beyond anybody’s imagination” but dealers were overwhelmed by the response of consumers. He pledged that dealers “will get their money.”

Dealers have complained of delays in getting reimbursed and backlogs of vehicle paperwork getting processed in the program. Dealers have said they face a risk of not being reimbursed but LaHood has pledged that dealers will get paid for the incentives.

The administration has said it has tripled the number of staffers sorting through the dealer paperwork.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32490342/ns/business-autos/

Automobiles » Lung and kidney groups losing donations.

By Steven Oberbeck

Updated: 08/11/2009 09:28:13 PM MDT

Click photo to enlarge

Luz Lewis-Perez of the National Kidney Foundation… (Steven Oberbeck / The Salt Lake Tribune)

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The federal “cash-for-clunkers” program may be wildly popular with auto buyers, but some Utah charities that rely on vehicle donations for funding say the initiative is cutting into the number of cars and trucks they’re receiving.

The National Kidney Foundation of Utah, which gets more automobile donations than any other charity in the state, estimates the number of vehicles donated to its Kidney Kars program is down 10 percent to 15 percent since the clunkers program began.

Things are much worse at the American Lung Association in Utah. Donations are down 50 percent to 60 percent as many owners of used vehicles opt to take advantage of rebates of up to $4,500 for trading in their gas guzzlers for new fuel-efficient cars instead of making a charitable contribution.

“We’re going to need a few more weeks to really gauge the impact, but already we’re feeling the effects,” said Luz Lewis-Perez, who oversees the Kidney Kars donation program in Utah.

Standing beside an auctioneer at Brashers Auto Auction in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Lewis-Perez watched as 44 cars and trucks donated to the Kidney Foundation were sold. Although some went for a lot more and others a lot less, the average selling price was $680 — enough money for the Kidney Foundation to help several thousand Utahns receiving dialysis pay their bills while they wait for a transplant.

“Fortunately, the ‘cash-for-clunkers’ program is only temporary, while we’re in this

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for the long haul,” Lewis-Perez said.Craig Cutright of the American Lung Association in Utah said that only a few years ago, its vehicle donation program was the organization’s largest funding source.

Then the federal government changed the rules on how much of a tax deduction those who donate could take. Donations dropped off sharply.

“Now we’re having to deal with this ‘cash-for-clunkers.’ It seems as if the federal government just wants to come up with programs that will harm charities,” Cutright said.

Daniel Boroschoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy, takes another view. His watchdog group monitors charities, and he thinks that although some may suffer short term, overall the clunkers program may prove beneficial.

“Some charities may very well see fewer cars donated, but that isn’t the only consideration. If this program helps stimulate the economy, then it should help those people that charities exist to serve.”

Lewis-Perez said its is easy to understand why the clunkers program is so popular.

“The government is giving out money. But we’d like to remind people who have an automobile they want to get rid of and aren’t using for the clunkers program that donating their car [to charity] is truly the best way to get rid of it.”

steve@sltrib.com

http://connect2utah.com/content/fulltext/?cid=45141

Cash For Clunkers Charity Problems

Reported by: Dan Rascon

Monday, Aug 10, 2009 @06:50pm

Another big blow for charity organizations who count on old car donations for funding.

First it was a new tax code in 2004, then last year the economy went belly up, and now it’s the federal governments Cash for Clunkers program.

“It’s not a good program for charities,” said Luz Lewis Perez with the National Kidney Foundation of Utah. “We use these vehicles to recycle them or sell them, so we can use the money for our programs.”

According to Craig Cutright with the American Lung Association of Utah they’ve taken about a 50% hit in car donations since the program started a few weeks ago.

“It has not been good…it doesn’t seem like the federal government wants to support non profit organizations,” said Cutright.

The Cash for Clunkers program offers car owners a 4500 dollar credit towards a brand new car for their gas guzzling beat up car as long as it fits into certain requirements.

The engine is then fried and the car is sent to the salvage yard to be recycled.

Many of these clunkers would be donated to charity organizations and the owner would then get a tax credit of 500 dollars or more depending on how much it would sell for.

“It’s taking car sales away from used car dealers it’s taking car donations away from charities, and it’s taking perfectly good vehicles off the road and forcing them to be recycled,” said Perez.

But both organizations say Utahns are generally very giving and believe they will be able to pull through.

“We are hoping to just weather the storm,” said Perez. 

If you would like to donate to either organization you can go to:  www.kidneykars.org or www.lungutah.org

Monday, Aug 10, 2009 @06:50pm CST

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Another big blow for charity organizations who count on old car donations for funding.

First it was a new tax code in 2004, then last year the economy went belly up, and now it’s the federal governments Cash for Clunkers program.

“It’s not a good program for charities,” said Luz Lewis Perez with the National Kidney Foundation of Utah. “We use these vehicles to recycle them or sell them, so we can use the money for our programs.”

According to Craig Cutright with the American Lung Association of Utah they’ve taken about a 50% hit in car donations since the program started a few weeks ago.

“It has not been good…it doesn’t seem like the federal government wants to support non profit organizations,” said Cutright.

The Cash for Clunkers program offers car owners a 4500 dollar credit towards a brand new car for their gas guzzling beat up car as long as it fits into certain requirements.

The engine is then fried and the car is sent to the salvage yard to be recycled.

Many of these clunkers would be donated to charity organizations and the owner would then get a tax credit of 500 dollars or more depending on how much it would sell for.

“It’s taking car sales away from used car dealers it’s taking car donations away from charities, and it’s taking perfectly good vehicles off the road and forcing them to be recycled,” said Perez.

But both organizations say Utahns are generally very giving and believe they will be able to pull through.

“We are hoping to just weather the storm,” said Perez. 

If you would like to donate to either organization you can go to:  www.kidneykars.org or www.lungutah.org

For more Political Cartoons on Cash for Clunkers visit MSNBC at:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32301112/ns/business-autos/displaymode/1247/?beginSlide=1&beginChapter=1&beginTab=1

Can’t Get Rid of Your Old Junker?

Here are five ways to clear your driveway of that clunker without taxing the environment or your wallet.

By James Tate of MSN Autos

Click to enlarge picture

Just because you have no more use for your old ride doesn’t mean someone can’t make good use of it.

No two ways about it, Americans are holding on to their cars longer. According to a recent study by automotive industry analyst R. L. Polk & Co., the average life span for a motor vehicle in the United States is now 112.8 months. That means cars are staying on the road more than 12 months longer than a decade ago.

While the reasons Americans are keeping their tired old cars and trucks longer than ever before are varied — ranging from fluctuating gas prices to uncertainty about the future of U.S. auto manufacturers — there is one common thread. “Customers are delaying purchases of new vehicles because their discretionary income has fallen,” says Dave Goebel, a consultant with Polk.

Although we know times are tough and money is tight, there is one problem with keeping your car longer: What do you do with the old clunker when you can’t bear to spend any more money on it? Dealers aren’t exactly jumping at the chance to accept trade-ins that have enough miles on the odometer to have driven to the moon and back. Neither are private buyers. But that doesn’t mean you simply have to dump it in a dirty old junkyard and further stress Mother Earth.

Here are five ways to send your old car on its way that will keep your environmental conscience and driveway clear.

1. Make a charity-specific donation
Most charities accept automobile donations no matter what its condition — just call and ask. Usually, towing is free or inexpensive, and you get a tax-deductible voucher for the book value of your car. After the charity of your choice scoops up what’s left of your prized vehicle, it will usually either try to repair the car well enough to sell, or it will sell the hunk of metal for scrap.

For example, Kidney Cars will happily accept cars, trucks, vans and boats as charitable donations. According to its Web site, the National Kidney Foundation uses any money realized from your vehicle for everything from public education to medical research. And here’s the best part: If it happens to earn more on the sale than the value of your voucher, you’ll get another receipt for the full amount of the deduction. Remember, the newer your car and the better its condition, the larger the write-off.

Some charities may refuse to accept a vehicle that doesn’t run, while others will accept cars and trucks no matter what their condition. Either way, charity-specific donations are a win-win for everyone involved.

2. Make a general donation
If your favorite charity isn’t interested in taking a broken-down auto off your hands, you can still turn the heap into a donation. There are hundreds of organizations all over the country that will pick up your car free of charge, sell or scrap it, and then give the proceeds of the sale to any charity you choose. The best part is you still get the tax deduction, just like in a charity-specific donation, and you are contributing to a cause you care about. There are as many Web sites dedicated to helping you donate your old car as there are reasons you want to get rid of it.

 http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1059746&page=0

http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009905070319

ST. GEORGE - This week, when so many Americans are spinning their wheels trying to think of the perfect Mother’s Day gift, the National Kidney Foundation wants to remind of a unique gift - you know the broken car she’s been begging you to get out of her driveway? Donate it to Kidney Kars.

Towing is free, and it’s tax deductible.

Your Kidney Kars donation will honor Mom by giving her back the garage! Funds raised through Kidney Kars benefit Utah programs of medical research, patient services, organ donation and public education. You may also find yourself in the express lane for a tax deduction.

Every day, 110 Americans choose the National Kid-ney Foundation’s Kidney Kars Program. Vehicles are sold either at auction or for parts, with 83 percent of the proceeds supporting the programs of the National Kidney Foundation of Utah.

For more information, or to donate your car, van, truck or boat, call (800) TOW-KARS (869-5277) or donate online at www.towkars.org.

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705294344,00.html

Published: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 5:31 p.m. MDT

Deseret News –  By James Davis

OREM — Giving part of himself has gone a long way for a Utah County restaurant owner.

Last fall, Marcus Gilbert donated one of his kidneys to 17-year-old Juan Delgado, who worked Gilbert’s Orem Charley’s Grilled Subs franchise. Since then, the corporate offices of the sandwich chain have adopted the National Kidney Foundation as the corporation’s charity of choice.

On Tuesday, Gilbert presented American Kidney Foundation of Utah and Idaho CEO Deen Vetterli with a check for $10,000 in behalf of the Charley’s Grilled Subs corporation. The donation is a result of a company-wide fundraising event in February, during which Charley’s set aside a portion of the sales of every one of the restaurant’s top-selling Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches up to $10,000.

“Initially, our goal was just to help Juan and his family out,” said Gilbert, who owns Charley’s franchises in Orem and Layton. “He had medical bills, and we wanted to raise some money to help them meet those expenses.”

That goal certainly snowballed. While both were recovering in the hospital in October, Charley’s Grilled Subs founder and CEO Charley Shin showed up with a check for $10,000 to help cover Delgado’s medical expenses, which are expected to exceed $100,000.

Since then, Charley’s franchises around the country have put out collection canisters to help Delgado, as well as to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation.

“It speaks for itself what a great humanitarian thing this is to do,” Vetterli said. “One of the main goals of the National Kidney Foundation is, of course, to promote organ donation.”

Vetterli said the $10,000 donation will be put directly toward supporting the foundation’s programs.

The National Kidney Foundation offers patient services for those who suffer with diseases of the kidney — from emergency financial assistance to medication and transportation. The foundation in Utah and Idaho also gives away as many as 20 educational scholarships annually to deserving patients who want to become self-sufficient, she said.

The National Kidney Foundation will also use the donation for medical research programs through the University of Utah to study the cause, treatment and prevention of kidney disease. Finally, the money will help to educate the public on kidney disease and on donation awareness.

One of the foundation’s efforts is the Good Samaritan program, through which people donate kidneys out of a desire to serve.

“There are many, many stories throughout Utah and Idaho where there are more and more people donating kidneys on a Good Samaritan basis,” Vetterli said, “which is really quite remarkable.”