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  • Donor Story

Donating a Loved One’s Car To Honor Their Memory

Car donors frequently turn to Good News Garage to donate the cars of friends and family members who have passed away. Some people even plan ahead by writing car donations into their wills. The goal of Good News Garage is to award as many donated cars as possible to our New England neighbors in need. In this way, donating a deceased person’s car makes a lasting impact that continues long after the owner has departed.

Donna’s Story

In December of 2020, Janice Lodato passed away after her battle with cancer. Her sister, Donna Hevern, described her as “a very compassionate, nice, and talented person … who is being missed by a lot of people.” To honor Janice’s memory, Donna and her family donated Janice’s car to Good News Garage.

Janice Lodato

When Janice developed cancer and started to receive treatments, her doctors told her that she couldn’t drive anymore. Janice’s car was always important to her, so “it was very sad for her and for all of us,” said Donna. She thinks that Janice “would want someone to be able to get some use out of the car and have some good times.”

We asked Donna why she and her family chose Good News Garage. She said, “I felt that this car could go to someone who could use it, to get a job or to get around.” She added, “After hearing what your agency does with donated cars, I thought that was great.”

After evaluating Janice’s vehicle, we determined that it will become a program car that is awarded to a neighbor in need. Because of this, Janice’s vehicle will be given a new sense of purpose. Donna thinks her sister would be happy knowing that her car has been donated and is serving others.  

Donna and her husband, Gerard

How to Donate a Deceased Person’s Car

If you would like to donate a deceased person’s car, please consider donating it to Good News Garage. In order to do so, simply visit our donation page and fill out the application.

If you haven’t done so already, you will need to transfer the title of the deceased person’s car to the new owner. The process is simple but varies by state:

Connecticut: See this webpage from CT DMV
Massachusetts: Vist the Mass.gov webpage
New Hampshire: See pages 60-63 of the Title Handbook
Vermont: See the DMV’s website

If you are helping with estate planning and have any questions, please contact us and we’d be happy to help.

Donating a car to Good News Garage is a win-win. Your donation empowers and supports individuals and families in your community and allows you to receive a tax deduction. Good News Garage is one of the few car donation charities in the country that offers a fair-market value tax deduction if a donated car is awarded to a neighbor in need. For more information about tax-deductible vehicle donations, please visit our blog here.