About Us
Second Chance Cars is a Massachusetts 501c3 corporation that provides refurbished, affordable used cars to Eastern Massachusetts’ low-income veterans and returning citizens. Our cars allow their new owners a chance to obtain living-wage jobs and the ability to achieve their full potential.
We work closely with some of the best social services agencies and nonprofits to help us select “car-ready” candidates. We also work with a network of vocational schools and automotive specialists who refurbish our donated vehicles professionally and affordably.
Recipients of our refurbished cars pay an affordable $900 for their cars via a zero-interest, one year loan that also helps build their credit. Donated cars that are more expensive to own are sold to the public, with the proceeds helping pay for the repairs on our “lower income” cars.
Learn more about Second Chance Cars and read our mission statement.
History
In 2015, Second Chance Cars’ founding director, Dan Holin, was looking for his next role, focusing on his passion for helping others, cars, and entrepreneurship. Dan came across Vehicles for Change (VFC), a Maryland-based organization that awards cars and provides vocational training in car repair to low-income citizens who are reentering society from incarceration. He reached out to VFC’s CEO Marty Schwartz and began learning about his unique model and the organization’s impact. A spark grew and he identified similar organizations that provided affordable cars to low-income individuals, but none in Massachusetts.
Noting that MA did not offer anything similar to VFC’s offerings, Dan pitched the idea of starting a car award program to UTEC, Inc., an agency that provides job training to former gang and incarcerated young people. Having witnessed firsthand through his interactions with UTEC the economic impact of awarding the right car to the right person at the right time, Dan decided to launch Second Chance Cars in 2018.
Second Chance Cars’ initial focus on supporting returning citizens (formerly incarcerated people) resulted from Dan’s experience at UTEC. The support for low-income veteran’s needs was sparked by both the passion of a US Navy veteran who serves on the Second Chance Cars board and from Dan’s time serving in Israeli Defense Forces.
Today Second Chance Cars awards cars to hard working veterans, returning citizens, refugees and others, and in close collaboration with its generous car donors and nonprofit, corporate, and pro bono partners.