Thank you for your interest in our car donations in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. Since 1994, we’ve helped families get a jumpstart in their lives by providing them with safe, working vehicles. This is known as our Project Family Car program.

If you want to receive a car donation, you must be referred by one of our partnering agencies. Please see our instructions below:

To be eligible for a car, your situation must fall under one of the following categories:

  1. You must be a resident at a Harriet Tubman Facility in Minnesota and have a referral letter from your case worker; or
  2. You must be enrolled in a Minnesota Workforce Training program or Life Track Resources and have a referral letter from your case worker; or
  3. You must be referred by a case worker of the International Victims of Torture.

We have a limited number of cars to give to clients. For that reason we cannot take on any additional requests for cars other than the agencies listed above.

How Project Family Car Works

Since 1994, Auto Technical has developed a network of community charities that work with families to identify the obstacles in their journey toward long term self-sufficiency. These charities help families with housing, employment, training and individual family needs, such as medical care, substance abuse and child care. When the family has solved some of these obstacles and is prepared to begin employment, the network refers this family to us for a car.

Auto Technical works exclusively with these networks. ATI does not select any families nor do we take any cold calls from individuals or organizations. We believe that our network partners know the best steps necessary to accomplishing long term self-sufficiency and we do not employ social workers or other family counselors. We depend on our network to identify well-prepared families, letting them know how to get a charity car in Minneapolis and St Paul, then referring them to us.

In the last couple of years, due in part to the recession and hard times for many in our community, we’ve received fewer donated cars. This stresses the importance of good stewardship, insofar as our donations are concerned. If you donate used cars in St Paul or Minneapolis, we refurbish the cars in order to give the best possible cars to referred families. So, if you or anyone you know in St Paul or Minneapolis can donate a used car, truck, or van, please contact us to help us achieve our goal of assisting 500 families a year.

In addition to receiving a refurbished car, families are required to attend car care classes that teach them how to check oil and have an understanding of preventative maintenance. The goal is to keep their car roadworthy.

The greatest prediction of success for these families is reliable transportation. Auto Technical helps more families receive transportation than any other charity in Minnesota! Help us to help your neighbors—donate a used car in Minneapolis or St Paul today!