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YOUTH homelessness charity Kids Under Cover is about to receive its 15,000th donated vehicle as a part of an initiative with vehicle auctioneers Manheim, which aims to combat youth homelessness by providing accommodation for vulnerable young people.

The Donate Your Car program, which was established in 2006, invites the public to donate a wide range of old vehicles including cars, trucks, vans, motorbikes, caravans and boats and removes them for free at a time that suits the donor.

The vehicles are then sold through Manheim Auctions, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to building secure and stable one and two bedroom units through Kids Under Cover.

Manheim communications manager Matthew McAuley said the company was proud to support an initiative like Donate Your Car.

Dutiful donor: Out of 15,000 donations, the most popular vehicle given to Kids Under Cover for auction was the Ford Falcon.

Dutiful donor: Out of 15,000 donations, the most popular vehicle given to Kids Under Cover for auction was the Ford Falcon.

“Manheim have been proud to support Kids Under Cover since 2006, with the collection and auction of 15,000 cars donated across Australia to help prevent youth homelessness,” he said.

“We’re excited to be able to continue to help at-risk young people through the Donate Your Car program.”

With 15,000 cars donated each vehicle laid end-to-end would stretch from Melbourne to Bangkok, and the vehicle’s combined mileage totalled 1.8 billion kilometres – equivalent to driving to Jupiter and back.

The most common donated model was the humble Ford Falcon, while the most frequently seen colour was white with 25 per cent of all donations. Least popular were purple, orange and yellow.

The most expensive donated car was a 1982 Porsche 911, which raised $22,000 at auction.

Kids Under Cover’s model builds relocatable small studios in the backyards of families’ or carers’ homes, which help at-risk young people stay connected to their networks of support, while gaining independence.

They are designed specifically for young people who are living in tenuous environments, living temporarily with family and friends, those in unfit or non-conventional environments and spaces that are subject to overcrowding.

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They also offer further education and training scholarships to financially assist those with the desire but not the financial means to pursue higher education.

The studios cost on average $10,000 per person per year, and an independent study found out that for every dollar invested with Kids Under Cover, $3.30 is saved in the form of reduced health and justice costs.

Kids Under Cover CEO Jo Swift said that the organisation is having a positive effect on some of the most vulnerable members of the community.

“Our studio program is not only providing an at-risk young person with a vital and personal sense of security and space, once it is no longer needed the studio is relocated to accommodate another young person in need,” she said.

“Since our studio program commenced we have housed over 3,000 at-risk young people.

“This investment is not only cost effective it is also powerful as these young people now have the ability to go on to complete their education, take on employment and create solid and strong lives.”

GoAuto subscribers can get involved with the Donate Your Car program through the Kids Under Cover website.

By Robbie Wallis

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