Habitat for Humanity Car Donation Review

“For several years, we have been supporting The Carter Foundation and Habitat for Humanity. This seems like an opportunity for the bug to perform one last service and a way to honor President Jimmy Carter and his selfless vision.”

My wife and I were married in 1968, between semesters in our senior year at Gettysburg college. Students didn’t have much money and, to buy a used car to get us to New Hampshire where I was to start graduate school, we had to borrow $500 from my father-in-law. What we got was a 1954 Rambler Nash American. The best thing you could say about it was that it ran. Six months later, I got my draft notice. So that my wife could have something reliable to drive while I was elsewhere occupied, we purchased a 1968 VW beetle for $1,725. The car cost $1,700, the $25 was for the radio. We used that car to carry almost everything, including 3 people and all their camping equipment, a 6-foot Christmas tree and small pieces of furniture. We found that if you put down the back seats, and take out one of the front seats for better access, that you can put in things like a dry sink bar, book cases and a file cabinet. Then just drive home and reverse the process to remove the items. We drove that car for about 13 years until the floor pans rusted out, not unusual at that time. Fast forwarding about 20 years, we were driving through the Amish area in Pennsylvania, when we saw a VW Super Beetle by the side of the road with a For Sale sign. The color was almost identical to the ’68 VW we had owned. It needed some cosmetic work, but was mechanically sound. I spend countless hours over years, working on it. I completely redid the interior, new roof fabric, new seats, etc., put in a stereo system and had it professionally repainted (the same color). Because of age, I also had the wiring harness replaced. That became our “ice cream car.” We’d take it out for ice cream or just for a drive, if the weather was clear. I had a great mechanic that grew up on VWs and kept the bug in excellent mechanical shape. Later we moved to New Hampshire. Recently, the car started losing power. The engine turns over, but it can no longer be driven. The area does not have a mechanic that speaks “VW”, but several that are willing to try. Unfortunately, none of them were able to accomplish anything except submitting a bill. I have enjoyed my bug, but it’s time to move on. For several years, we have been supporting The Carter Foundation and Habitat for Humanity. This seems like an opportunity for the bug to perform one last service and a way to honor President Jimmy Carter and his selfless vision.

Thank You, George!

Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat builds strength, stability and self-reliance in partnership with families in need of decent and affordable housing. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage.

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