Keeping Neighbors Moving: The Rides for Refugees Partnership

Connecting generous donors with newcomer neighbors to pave a road toward self-reliance.

At Welcoming Falls Church, we know that building a community of neighbors means addressing the real, practical barriers that families face when adjusting to life in a new country. One of the most significant hurdles for newcomers in Northern Virginia is reliable transportation.

To help meet this critical need, Welcoming Falls Church is proud to partner with Rides for Refugees, a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in nearby Reston, Virginia. Together, we work to ensure that refugee families have the mobility they need to access employment, education, and community life.

Why We Show Up: Navigating a Complex Need

Our partnership with Rides for Refugees grew out of a specific desire to better channel the incredible generosity of the Falls Church community. Over the last few years, local residents have approached us wishing to donate vehicles directly to the refugee families we welcomed between 2022 and 2025.

While we were eager to facilitate these gifts, we quickly learned that the IRS maintains very strict and specific regulations governing vehicle donations—requirements that a local grassroots organization like ours is not equipped to manage independently.

Knowing that our neighbors still wanted to make these life-changing donations, we sought a strategic partner. Rides for Refugees operates nationally to provide vehicles to permanently resettled refugees, handling the complex legal and administrative infrastructure required for tax-deductible vehicle giving. Remarkably, roughly half of all applicants for their national vehicle program live right here in Northern Virginia, making this partnership a perfect geographic fit.

A Story of Impact: A Note of Gratitude

The power of this collaboration is best understood through the life of a young neighbor right here in our city:

"Rides for Refugees is grateful for the support of Welcoming Falls Church, who helped provide transportation to a recently arrived Afghan refugee resettled in Falls Church. The young woman came to the United States by herself on a Special Immigrant Visa and works as a patient advocate at a local hospital. With the cold, snowy winter and her work schedule not matching the local bus schedule, getting to and from work had become difficult and expensive."

Get Involved: How to Donate a Vehicle

Do you have a vehicle you no longer need? You can transform a neighbor's life by donating it to this vital cause.

• Any Vehicle, Any Condition: Rides for Refugees accepts vehicle donations nationwide. They accept cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans in any condition.
• Fully Tax-Deductible: Because they are an established 501(c)(3), your vehicle donation is fully tax-deductible according to IRS regulations.
• A Lifeline for Work: Your donated vehicle will be directly used to help a resettled refugee get to work and achieve permanent self-reliance.

Ready to Drive Change?

If you are interested in making a tax-deductible vehicle donation, or if you want to learn more about how our two organizations work together to support local families, please take the next step today:

• Contact Rides for Refugees to Start a Vehicle Donation
• Contact Welcoming Falls Church to volunteer with local newcomer families