What’s our process for reviving a drive?

Here’s a quick overview of how we flip a car:

1. A vehicle is donated to us, or we use donated funds to buy a cheap car that needs some mechanical work.
2. We transport the vehicle on our trailer to our garage and begin repairs.  Wes looks over all of the mechanical features and addresses any issues, including maintenance needs that could come up in the near future.
3. After the car is running and passes all mechanical tests, we deep-clean the exterior and interior of the vehicle, and add some personal touches (car freshener, ice scraper, etc)
4. The car stays at the garage until a good match is found, and then we hand over the vehicle and the title to its new owner! We’ll also provide a guide of how to care for a vehicle (scheduled maintenance timelines, etc)

Are we tax exempt?

As of November 21, 2022, Revive the Drive is exempt from federal income tax under the Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) as a public charity. Our EIN (Tax ID) is 92-1109848. Donations received by Revive the Drive are eligible for tax exemptions, and we email each donor a tax exemption receipt for the donor’s files. Donated vehicles also qualify for tax exemptions!

How do we choose vehicle recipients?

Our goal is to partner with other nonprofits in the Richmond area who are already supporting families in need. We understand that there are a lot of factors when it comes to assisting people in our community, and we want to be wise stewards of the vehicles. By donating to someone who already has relationships with supportive organizations, we can help be a part of a solution while hopefully minimizing the risk of mismanaging the responsibilities that come with owning a vehicle.

Do we only work on donated vehicles?

We currently only repair vehicles that have been donated to Revive the Drive. Since we are not a mechanic shop with standard hours and staff, we are unable to promise owners a quick turnaround for fixing their vehicles. Working on donated vehicles gives us the freedom to thoroughly diagnose and repair the cars outside of our fulltime jobs’ hours without directly inhibiting someone’s access to transportation.