Kars4Kids insists it's not trying to mislead anyone. There just isn't space in its advertisements to explain where the donations are headed, spokesman Rabbi Eli Mintz said.
"You have a 60-second spot: You don't have time to inform people of your mission," said Mintz, who also is the CEO of Oorah. "People can go to our website" to learn more, he said. Mintz said he is frustrated by the negative attention drawn to Kars4Kids, because no one has found financial improprieties or shown that it's a front for a sham charity, which is far more serious.
Although new to Minnesota this winter, Kars4Kids has been on the radar screen of national charity watchdogs. They are skeptical of the advertising that attracted roughly 70,000 car donations valued at $24 million in 2009.
"If you donate to an organization called Kars4Kids, it's a huge red flag that the money isn't going to an organization with that name," said Lindsey Nichols, spokesperson for Guidestar, a national charity information websites.
"Plus, some people may want to donate to a secular group or one from a different religion," added Daniel Borochoff, president of Charity Watch, a Chicago-based nonprofit watchdog. "I guess they figure they wouldn't be as successful if people knew what was really going on."
We invest in children because they are our future. That may sound cliché but it’s undeniably true. Our mission is to give children the opportunities and support they need to develop into productive members of their communities. Mentorship is the heart of all of our programs. We surround our youth with a solid network of always-available mentors who become involved in all the major aspects of the children’s lives. Because family and community have such a significant impact on a child’s life and growth, we take a big-picture, inclusive approach to achieve our goal. Our programs include educational services, youth mentorship and development, community and family outreach and cultural events. With summer camps and extracurricular programs, holiday retreats and educational resources, we are there for our children throughout the year.
While performing research for this Kars4Kids review, I was initially unbiased. I didn’t know anything about them or where their money went, but I was anxious to find out what kids were being helped through their car donations. What I found were unreliable financial records, various fines, unethical practices, and deception. It isn’t a bad thing that they have religious affiliations. Religious groups are allowed to have their own charities and promote faith, but it’s the deception that really bothers me. They might not try to hide their religious connections, but they are hardly forthcoming about it, either. I presume they do this because if they were too public about their religious connections, many people might find alternative places to donate and that would hurt their bottom line.
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