Society Of St. Vincent De Paul Rolls Out National Vehicle Donation Program

Online, October 14, 2010 (Newswire.com) - For people in need, basic transportation for everyday tasks like looking for a job or visiting the doctor can be a struggle, but a new national vehicle donation program unveiled by the nonprofit National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) promises to help ease that burden.

To donate or find out more information, log on to http://www.svdpusacars.com, or call (800) 322-8284.

SVdP's program differs from similar programs in several important respects:

• It's both a fundraiser and a way of assisting those in need. Depending on the need, the donation may translate into program or services dollars, providing essential needs such as food, shelter, housing, care for the elderly, or medicine. Or, if it's desired by a local SVdP, the donation can provide transportation to someone in need, allowing them the dignity of keeping a job to support their family.

• The donated vehicle, or the money generated from it, will stay locally. When a donor enters a zip code, monies raised will be credited to the SVdP associated with that location.

SVdP locations currently take in more than 16,000 vehicles across the country every year.

"We have more than 146,000 members in more than 4,600 communities in the United States," said Joe Flannigan, national president of SVdP. "Part of our mission is to get to know our neighbors and what their needs are. With this program, we can target exactly where, and to whom, each donation needs to go."

SVdP chose Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA), one of the largest and most reputable companies of its kind in North America, to administer and manage the vehicle donation program.

"We are pleased to partner with the members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the tremendously valuable services they provide to so many communities," said Jeanene O'Brien, vice president of provider marketing for IAA. "IAA's goal is to sell each vehicle for the highest price possible. We do this by supporting a healthy competitive auction for global buyers at more than 140 locations in the United States which sell in excess of one million vehicles per year. In addition, we evaluate each donated vehicle through our 'Best Venue Decision,' which allows us to sell a vehicle either through our salvage auctions or through our sister company, ADESA whole car auctions. Insurance Auto Auctions' Donation Division has successfully partnered with hundreds of charities for the past 15 years. We take our role in assisting charities seriously and work to ensure they secure the most dollars from donated vehicles. In addition, vehicle donation is a critical component to how IAA not only gives back to the community, but also gives back to our shared environment by keeping billions of pounds of vehicle waste out of landfills."

To view a 60-second PSA of the program, log on to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNGazn5d3V0&feature=player_embedded