Vermont News Station WCAX Shows Off the Good News Garage

Longtime Good News Garage mechanic Mike Blair was interviewed in the garage while working on a car. Watch, listen, and learn how we take donated cars and give them back to a neighbor in need:

Sunday Sounds Show December 2010

Donate a Car to Good News Garage and receive a 2010 Tax Deduction

Final preparations are underway for Good News Garage's Car Donation Drop-off Days. On December 30 and 31, Good News Garage CT, Good News Garage NH and Good News Garage VT will be open extended hours to accept your tax-deductible car, van and truck donations. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to receive a generous 2010 tax deduction for your older car and help a local family in need!

During Good News Garage Car Donation Days, all Good News Garage offices will be open extended hours to accept donated vehicles from Connecticut, Maine (southern), Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Everyone who stops by a Good News Garage office will be treated to holiday refreshments and a Good News Garage travel mug. Good News Garage will also provide free towing or pick-up of donated cars.

Since 1996, Good News Garage has provided refurbished donated cars to more than 3,500 New England families in need. All cars provided by Good News Garage have been donated and all donated cars qualify for a tax deduction ranging from $500 to the vehicle's full fair market value. For additional details regarding Good News Garage's Car Donation Days, view: http://www.goodnewsgarage.org/ or call Good News Garage toll-free: 877.GIVE.AUTO (448.3288). Good News Garage: Donate a car...Change a life!

Game On with Good News Garage NH

Do you love Monarchs' Hockey? Are you a trivia buff? If so, become a Facebook fan of Good News Garage NH and play "Game on with Good News Garage" Car Trivia Game. Correct answers will be entered in a drawing to win a Family 4-Pack of Silver Level tickets to see the Manchester Monarchs. Good News Garage NH would like to thank the Manchester Monarchs for donating our grand prize and for supporting our Donate a car...Change a life! mission. Become a Facebook fan of Good News Garage NH http://on.fb.me/fXAgww and play "Game On" today!

Good News Garage NH and Ride-Away provide wheelchair accessible van

Most of us take our independence for granted, but not Rita Gravel of Manchester who recently regained her freedom thanks to a donated wheelchair van provided by Ride-Away and Good News Garage NH.

Ride-Away, America's number one provider of modified vehicles and adaptive equipment and Good News Garage, a New England car donation non-profit, have teamed up to provide appropriate vehicles to low-income individuals with disabilities.

Rita, who has a nerve disorder and is confined to a wheelchair, received the keys to her donated van from Manchester Mayor, Ted Gatsas on Monday, November 15, 2010 at the Ride-Away offices in Londonderry, NH. This van, donated to Good News Garage NH by Ride-Away, will allow Rita to get to the store, to doctor’s appointments and to become an active member of her community; something she has been unable to do for over four years.

“I want to thank the folks at Ride-Away and Good News Garage for everything they have done. This van will change my life” said Rita after receiving her van keys.

While Good News Garage, a program of Lutheran Social Services, provides donated cars, vans and trucks to working individuals in need, the car charity will accept and award donated wheelchair vans when possible. In 2008, Good News Garage NH provided a wheelchair van to the Orton family of Gilford, NH providing them with safe and reliable transportation for their son.

Since 1996, more than 3,500 individuals have received a reliable, donated car, van or truck from Good News Garage. All cars provided by Good News Garage have been donated and qualify for a tax deduction. To donate a car, van or truck to Good News Garage visit: www.GoodNewsGarage.org or call toll-free: 877.GIVE.AUTO (448.3288). Good News Garage: Donate a car...Change a life!

Good News Garage NH Sets Mileage Record

Good News Garage NH recently set an all-time low mileage record! We just received a donated Toyota Corolla with only 13,000 miles on it! This is an exceptional car donation, but we are grateful for EVERY car, van, truck, boat, RV or golf cart that is donated. Every car provided by Good News Garage NH has been donated and every car donation qualifies for a generous tax deduction ranging from $500 to the vehicle's FAIR MARKET VALUE! Want more information on the benefits of donating cars, vans and trucks to Good News Garage NH? Check out our web site: www.GoodNewsGarage.org.

On the road with Good News Garage NH

Good News Garage NH is hitting the streets every Saturday in September to attend events around the state. If you are enjoying any of these fall festivals, stop by the Good News Garage NH booth. We'll have games and prizes for the kiddos and Good News Garage goodies for the adults. But best of all, you can learn more about the Good News Garage NH Donate a car...Change a life!program. Good News Garage NH wishes you a fun-filled September and we we look forward to seeing you here:

Cruising Downtown
Saturday, September 4
All day!
Elm Street, Manchester, NH

Bedford Olde Towne Day
Saturday, September 11
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Riley Field Complex, Bedford, NH

Hollis Old Home Days
Saturday, September 18
Nichols Field on Depot Road, Hollis, NH

Merimack Fall Festival
Saturday, September 25
10:00 - 3:00
Merrimack Town Center, Merrimack, NH

Good News Garage NH - Donate a car...Change a life!

I love this photo of Nick (second from left), the Good News Garage NH vehicle processor, shown here with the recipients of a donated and refurbished 2001 Ford Windstar with 185,000 miles. To receive a car from Good News Garage, a client cannot have a working car in the household. So the families that Good News Garage NH serves struggle to commute to work, childcare, medical appointments and even to the store. By accepting, repairing and awarding reliable donated cars to families in need, Good News Garage changes lives one car at a time. And the joy and relief felt by our clients is often displayed on the faces of our clients when they pick up their "new" vehicles.

If you have an older car, van or truck that you no longer need, please consider donating it to Good News Garage NH. All car donors have the satisfaction of knowing that their car is transporting a new family toward financial independence. To date, more than 12,000 cars have been donated to Good News Garage and Good News Garage has provided vehicles to more than 3,500 families throughout New England.

In addition, Good News Garage car donors may realize a unique tax advantage. Other car donation programs liquidate the cars they receive limiting the tax deduction to the amount the charity receives at auction. Cars donated to Good News Garage NH that can be reconditioned and awarded to a family qualify for a deduction equal to the vehicle's full fair market value! This can mean a deduction worth thousands of dollars.

To donate a car, van, truck, boat, RV, moped, motorcycle, camper, ATV or jet ski, to Good News Garage New Hampshire, call toll-free: 877-GIVE-AUTO (448-3288) or visit on-line: http://www.goodnewsgarage.org/.

Cars for a Cause Car Show to benefit Good News Garage New Hampshire

Calling all car lovers! On Saturday, August 21st from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (rain date of 8/22) Hillcrest Terrace Retirement Community in Manchester is hosting the Third Annual Cars for a Cause Car Show to benefit Good News Garage N.H. This family friendly event features live music by The Bel Airs, a bake sale, a hamburger/hot dog stand and raffle items from local businesses such as Cotton, Currier Museum of Art, NH Motor Speedway, Segway Tours of Manchester, Jacques Flower Shop, The Palace Theatre, Derryfield Country Club Chunky’s Cinema & Pub and many more.

All show cars are welcome to register and trophies will be awarded. Registrants are treated to complimentary food and a goody bag. Hillcrest Terrace is conveniently located at 200 Alliance Way, Manchester (take Hackett Hill Rd. off of exit 10 from Rt. 93 and exit 7 from Rt. 293) Call Johanne at (603) 836-2247 to reserve a spot or for more information visit: http://www.hillcrestterrace.com/

Good News Garage N.H., a program of Lutheran Social Services, accepts, repairs and provides donated cars, vans and trucks to families in need. Since 1996, Good News Garage has provided donated cars, vans and trucks to more than 3,500 New England families. All cars provided by Good News Garage N.H. have been donated and all donations qualify for a tax deduction ranging from $500 to fair market value. For more information or to donate a car, visit http://www.goodnewsgarage.org/ or call toll-free: 877-GIVE-AUTO.

Cars for a Cause is Good News Garage N.H.'s largest annual fundraiser and is sponsored by Laconia Savings Bank, Moore Center Services and South Elm Automotive.

Holy Trinity Youth Support Good News Garage NH

The Holy Trinity Lutheran Church youth group recently sponsored a collection to provide donated car care items to Good News Garage NH clients.

Thank you to the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church youth group for collecting and delivering car care items for Good News Garage NH car recipients! Thanks to your hard work, our deserving families will receive not only a donated car, but will also be treated to car care items to help keep their donated cars looking good and running smoothly. We hope you enjoyed your visit to Good News Garage New Hampshire and we wish you a wonderful summer vacation!

Vt. Nonprofit Featured On "Oprah Winfrey Show" - News Story - WPTZ Plattsburgh

Vt. Nonprofit Featured On "Oprah Winfrey Show" - News Story - WPTZ Plattsburgh

Singing Volunteers at Good News Garage Vermont

After scrubbing donated cars and vans all afternoon, this youth group from Our Savior Lutheran Church in Illinois had enough energy leftover to sing!

If you want to hear more, they will be performing at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Jericho at 7:00 p.m. this evening. 

We will be posting more photos of there volunteer work here tomorrow.

Donate a car...Change a life!

What we do with donated cars.

Good News Garage provided a repaired donated car today to a mom in Southern Vermont.


(Pictured above is Shawna with her daughter)

“Dear Donor,

Thank you for the car. It will help me out alot. I don’t know how I would have made it back and forth to work and doctor appointments. Thank you very much.”
-Shawna

Learn more about Good News Garage. or call toll-free 877.448.3288.

Motor Mania!!

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Stop by Motor Mania Car Show(http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/motormania) and check out the Good News Garage NH "Donate a car...Change a life!" booth. Good News Garage NH volunteer and car donor, Trudy, will be handing out Good News Garage goodies and distributing information on how the Good News Garage "wheels to work" program provides refurbished, donated cars, vans and trucks to local families in need.

Good News Garage NH receives grants from NH Women's Fund

Good News Garage NH is honored to be the recipient of two grants from the New Hampshire Women's Fund. The initial Women's Fund/Good News Garage NH grant is providing donated and refurbished cars to four NH women in need. Pictured above is Theresa standing next to her donated van awarded to her through this grant.

The most recent Women's Fund grant is allowing Good News Garage NH to launch a vehicle repair fund to assist working New Hampshire women who own a car but are unable to afford the necessary repairs to keep their cars road-worthy and running safely.

For most New Hampshire residents, our cars are our lifelines to the world. A vehicle provides a means to get back and forth to work creating the financial resources necessary to obtain food, housing and medical care as well as opportunities for educational and cultural enrichment. Life is a struggle without a reliable car. Good News Garage NH is grateful to the NH Women's Fund for their continued support of our "wheels to work" mission that provides reliable donated cars to NH families in need. To support our mission, please donate a car, van or truck to Good News Garage NH or tell a friend or relative to donate a car. Good News Garage: Donate a car...Change a life!

Bishop's Charitable Assistance Fund supports Good News Garage NH

Standing behind a Good News Garage NH donated car: Bob Buckley, Good News Garage NH program director, Trudy Sutherland, Good News Garage advisory board member and Fred Kfoury, Jr., Bishop's Charitable Assistance Fund board member.

Good News Garage is honored to be the recipient of a grant from the Bishop's Charitable Assistance Fund which is a not-for-profit organization within the Catholic Church in New Hampshire. The Fund enables the Bishop of Manchester, through a board of directors, to make grants to not-for-profit organizations without regard to religious affiliation for projects that help people in New Hampshire meet their basic needs. This grant will allow Good News Garage NH to a launch a car repair fund to serve deserving, working New Hampshire residents.

"While Good News Garage typically provides transportation services through our Donated Wheels program that serves families by providing reliable donated cars to New Hampshire families in need, we are excited about expanding our services to include vehicle repairs," said Bob Buckley, Good News Garage NH program director.

Those interested in applying for car repair services you must meet Good News Garage NH JumpStart requirements (http://www.goodnewsgarage.org/Apply/New-Hampshire.aspx) and must provide a written repair estimate for the car. For more information, contact the Good News Garage NH office at: 603.669.6937.

Dine with Good News Garage at the Texas Roadhouse this Monday!

Yippie! Yahoo! Texas Roadhouse is going to give 10% of the food purchased on Monday, May 24 to Good News Garage! They are located at Taft Corners in Williston, Vermont and will be open 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. on that day. PLEASE bring a copy of this blog to verify that you are eating there, not only for the steak, but to support Good News Garage.

The money raised will go to repair donated cars, trucks, and vans that we provide to qualified Vermont families.

Donate a car...Change a life!

Visit the Donate a car...Change a life! Booth at the Portsmouth NH Sustainability Fair

Good News Garage NH will have a booth at the Portsmouth Sustainability Fair this Saturday, May 8th. Donating a car to Good News Garage NH is a great way to recycle an older vehicle and help a local family in need. In addition to accepting donated cars, Good News Garage NH will also accept donations of gently-used good car tires and new anti-freeze, motor oil and windshield washer fluid. All donations to Good News Garage qualify for a tax deduction. For more information on the Portsmouth Sustainability Fair: http://portsmouthsustainabilityfair.org/ I hope to see you there!

Good News Garage NH "Green" Car Tips

Good News Garage loves red, blue, black, yellow and even multi-colored cars, but our favorite cars are “green!” When you think and drive “green,” you take better care of your car. Proper maintenance and sensible driving will prolong the life of your car and help the environment too. When it’s time for a change, think “green” again and recycle your car through Good New Garage — donate a car to Good News Garage NH and change someone’s life.

Good News Garage’s Top Ten “Green” Car Tips

Keep your car’s engine running at peak performance by getting regular engine tune-ups. A well-tuned engine has more power, uses less fuel and develops less engine wear than a poorly-tuned engine. A misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30 percent.

Have your car’s air conditioner serviced by a technician certified to handle and recycle refrigerants. Improperly handled refrigerants can release ozone-depleting chemicals into the environment.

Purchase extended-life antifreeze. Most extended-life coolants do not contain conventional antifreeze which can be abrasive to water pump seals.

Take used or damaged car batteries to auto stores that stock or repair lead-acid batteries and properly dispose of engine fluids and tires. A single quart of used motor oil can pollute thousands of gallons of water. Antifreeze poured on the ground can poison wildlife or pets.

Improve gas mileage by removing roof-top luggage carriers which increase air drag and decrease fuel-efficiency; use cruise control when practical, and remove unnecessary items from your vehicle which can add weight.

Avoid driving with a lead foot. Fast starts and heavy braking increase gas consumption and put extra wear and tear on your vehicle’s mechanical systems.

Keep your tires property inflated and aligned and you can improve your gas mileage by more than 3 percent. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. Misaligned or unbalanced tires will cause uneven wear and tear.

Return used tires to retailers or wholesalers that recycle or retread them. If they still have some life left in them, Good News Garage will gladly accept donations of tires and other car-related items such as unused antifreeze, oil, window cleaner, car mats and jumper cables.

Replace your car’s filters and fluids as recommended in the owner’s manual. You can improve your gas mileage by up to 2 percent by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil.

Good News Garage is the ultimate recycling solution for cars, vans, trucks, mopeds, RVs and even boats! Every car that Good News Garage provides has been donated and every car donation qualifies for a tax deduction ranging from $500 to the vehicle’s fair market value — an amount that can be significantly greater than a dealer trade-in. Good News Garage will pick up or tow your donated car, van or truck free of charge.

Since 1996, Good News Garage has accepted, repaired and “recycled” more than 3,500 donated cars by providing them to qualified families in need. For more information about Good News Garage NH or to donate a car, visit on-line: http://www.GoodNewsGarage.org/ or call toll-free: 877.448.3288. Good News Garage: Donate a car…Change a life!

Earth Day is April 22!

Take a minute on Earth Day to review these money-saving pollution-reducing tips from your friends at Good News Garage.

Donate a car...Change a life!

Good News Garage NH attends Spring into Healthy Living Fair

This Saturday, April 17th, Good News Garage NH will be participating in the Spring into Healthy Living Fair at the Concord Co-op (24 South Main Street, Concord, NH). Join us - rain or shine - under the big top tent for this fun event! Good News Garage NH staff will be on-hand to discuss the tax benefits of donating cars to Good News Garage New Hampshire. We will also have Good News Garage goodies for everyone and of course, you can try out Road Hazard Ring Toss! Because of our "Donate a Car...Change a Life" program, Good News Garage NH has been selected as the October 2010 Concord Co-op Community Partner. Look for more details in the fall regarding this honor and how you can support Good News Garage NH.