If you have an old car—or even a snowmobile—cluttering up your yard, you may have considered writing it off for good. But what if that “good” could benefit someone in recovery? Bruce Studer of Cars for Recovery explained more to me in a recent interview with The Phoenix Spirit. “We take cars, trucks, motorcycles, snowmobiles, riding lawn mowers etc., in any condition running or not.”
And, if you’re just completing your tax return, you just still have time to claim a deduction on that donation. Studer explained: “The tax deduction is based on what we end up doing with the donated vehicle and there are three options. We can keep it and use it in our ministry’s vehicle fleet. We can give it to a graduate of our long-term program. Or we can sell the vehicle, and any proceeds for a sale of a donated vehicle goes into our general fund to help support our programs.” If you choose either of the first two options, you can take the Kelley Blue Book value as your tax deduction. With the third option, your deduction will be whatever the dollar amount is that Cars for Recovery receive for the vehicle.
Cars for Recovery was started around 2008 to generate funds for the Know the Truth™ substance use prevention program. Studer started working with Cars for Recovery in 2017, after 40 years in the automotive industry.
Graduates of the long-term programs and the Teen Challenge Leadership Institute (TCLI) leadership programs are eligible to apply for the Cars for Recovery Program. In order to receive a vehicle, graduates must have a valid driver’s license and be able to secure insurance for the gifted vehicle. Success stories, such as that of Kevin, show how the program is helping people: “After years of heroin addiction, coming to Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge changed my life. When I got a car through Cars for Recovery, I was finally able to visit my son after graduating. Our relationship has since been restored and I’ve been able to be a grandpa to my grandson.”
When I got a car through Cars for Recovery, I was finally able to visit my son after graduating. Our relationship has since been restored and I’ve been able to be a grandpa to my grandson
In 2025, Cars for Recovery received 151 donations. In previous years, such as 2020 and 2019, they received 222 and 255 donations respectively. A change in the tax laws by the IRS has slowed down donations in recent years.
How can you help? If you have a car, truck, riding lawn mower, snowmobile, or motorcycle which might have seen better days, now is the time to take advantage of your tax deduction and help someone in recovery.
The process to donate is simple. You can visit the website at https://www.mntc.org/ and navigate to the vehicle donations page here: https://www.mntc.org/cars-for-recovery/. Click the “Donate Now” button on that page and you will be transferred to a DocuSign page where there is a form called a donor agreement. Fill out the donor agreement with your personal and vehicle information. After you click “Submit,” the form goes directly to Studer’s email. He will reach out to you to arrange a date and time to pick up your donation and collect the vehicle title. Alternatively, call Studer on 612-238-6162 and he can email you with the donor agreement.
Another option is to drop off the vehicle at any Bobby & Steve’s Auto World location, both U Pull R Parts locations, and at Lundeen Brothers Ford in Annandale.
Bruce Studer can also be reached via email at bruce.studer@mntc.org or via his cell phone number on 763-607-1555.
