Neil and his wife had a 2006 Nissan Sentra that needed repairs before it could be sold, which would require a large investment.

“It occurred to us that it might be beneficial for GESMN’s automotive training program to have a vehicle that needed some repairs, that the students could practice on and once the repairs were fixed, they could continue to have the opportunity to work on the vehicle. We thought it was a way to get this asset of ours to do some good in the world. That’s why we made the decision to donate it as opposed to sell it,” Neil said.

One of GESMN’s vehicle donation options is to donate a working automotive vehicle for our students to gain hands-on experience by performing multiple maintenance tasks and light auto repairs. Donated vehicles help GESMN deliver effective auto training while keeping the curriculum industry relevant.

“The process of donating was very easy and straightforward,” Neil continued. “It really made my wife very prideful to know that this vehicle, which was a big part of her life, and she had a very strong emotional attachment to it, was going to create good in ways she’s passionate about as well.”

Donating your vehicle to Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota (GESMN) is convenient, easy and supports our mission to eliminate barriers to work and independence. It is as simple as 1,2,3. 

Step 1: Prepare Your Vehicle for Donation  ​

• Before donating your vehicle to GESMN, remove all personal belongings, cancel your insurance policy and ensure the vehicle’s title is in your name.

Step 2: Determine the best option to donate your vehicle to GESMN

• To donate a vehicle to GESMN’s automotive training program that provides hands-on learning for students, contact automotive@gesmn.org to find out if your vehicle is a good fit and schedule a drop-off.  

• To donate to our other vehicle donation program -- that auctions off donated vehicles to help fund all of GESMN’s nearly 20 services and programs -- use this donation form to schedule a pick up or call at (866) 233-8586. We provide free pick-up and towing, seven days a week and accept various types of vehicle donations: cars, motorcycles, campers, jet skies, ATVs and more. Find a full list of accepted vehicles here.

Step 3: Receive a Tax Receipt  

• After donating your vehicle, GESMN will handle the paperwork and you will receive a tax-deductible receipt for your donation.

Learn more about how your vehicle donation can help people in our community experience the power of work at www.gesmn.org/impact.