Help Refugees in Need
Vehicles mean freedom and opportunity.
Rides for Refugees is a volunteer-led, 501(c)3 charity that provides vehicles to low-income, legal-permanent-resident refugees in the United States, so they can get to work and become self-reliant.
Vehicles help refugees work and become financially independent,
which benefits them and strengthens U.S. communities.
Refugees from Afghanistan, Haiti, Ukraine, Syria, and many other countries need transportation urgently.
Because we serve refugees who are legal permanent residents, your kind donation is an investment in
new Americans and the U.S. communities in which they are resettled. Thank you for your support!
DONATE A CAR, get a tax deduction! Rides for Refugees picks up donated vehicles anywhere in the United States. To schedule a pick up of any type of vehicle (even nonworking), start a vehicle donation online or call 844-503-RIDE (7433). Donating your vehicle means less hassle and potentially more value than selling or trading it in! And your donation will help get refugees on the road to self-reliance. If you have questions about donating a vehicle, please see our FAQ page.
“The gift of this car from Rides for Refugees is not just about the vehicle itself but also about the newfound freedom and opportunities it brings.” —Tee, from Afghanistan
Transportation Fosters
Self-Reliance
Although every refugee’s story is different, wherever they come from and regardless of why they were resettled in the United States—be it war, natural disaster, or persecution—they have in common the will to survive, thrive, and be productive members of their new communities.
But many refugees in the United States lack the transportation they need in order to work and become self-reliant. 45% of people in the United States have no access to public transportation. Even in areas that have public transport, it may not go where needed, or may be too costly for low-income refugees. Having a car can change a refugee’s life.
Rides for Refugees provides vehicles that get refugees on the road to productivity and financial independence.
“Rides for Refugees has given me hope, not only for myself but for all my family. . . Having this car, I can get more professional jobs.”
—Mohamed, from Afghanistan
Car Recipient Spotlight
F.A. is an Iraqi refugee resettled in Utah. In his native country, he was ostracized because of a facial deformity, and not allowed to attend school or to work.
F.A. came to the United States as an adult. A faith-based not-for-profit gave him his first job, in their donations facility. They also provided English lessons and counseling, which helped F.A. to develop self-confidence and begin to dream of a career doing something he enjoys—cooking.
F.A. did not have transportation to get to a new job, so Rides for Refugees provided him with a car. The car will enable F.A. to fulfill his dreams of working in the culinary industry and becoming financially self-sustaining.
“Having a car will change my life,” F.A. told us. “I will have so many more opportunities. I won’t just be a refugee, I will be like everyone else.”
“I really want to thank you from my heart. You did a lot for my family. . . It is like magic—still I can’t believe.”
—Ms. A., from Afghanistan
“With the help of a car, you can really earn decent money and have a good job. . .The car becomes not just a means of transportation, but a means for a good and dignified existence.”
—Viacheslav, from Ukraine
Cover photo: Mariupol in ruins. Mvs.gov.ua, CC by 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Additional photos: (c) 2022, V. Bedakov, All rights reserved.