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Kars4Kids affiliate donated no money

Junk for Joy is facing severe scrutiny

..... A review of Junk for Joy's records since forming six years ago reveals that while it has taken in more than $4.4 million in contributions - most of ti form donated vehicles - no money was given to any charity, a practice nonprofit experts said constitutes a from of "fraud."

By: Jose Strupp
Asbury Park Press
USA Today Network - New Jersey

LAKEWOOD - A Texas-based affiliate of Kars4Kids, which offers a similar car donation pickup service for charitable donations, has not distributed any of its millions of dollars to charity since it began in 2020, according to tax records.
..... In fact, the lion' share of tis revenue has been spent on Internet adverting for itself, administrative costs and legal expenses.
..... Junk for Joy, listed in federal documents as based in Plano, Texas, north of Dallas, labels itself as a nonprofit aim at "turn(ing) unused cars into funds for a goad cause."
..... It does not detail what that "good cause" is, although it mentions in records and on its website "supporting" Oorah, a multi-million-dollar Jewish charity in Lakewood that's also under control of Kars4Kids and receives a majority of Kars4Kids funds.
..... Kars4Kids itself has come under severe scrutiny in the past, a recent Asbruy Park Press Investigation has found, mostly for misleading would-be donors. In that story, it was revealed that Kars4Kids distributed about $2.5 million to Junk for Joy, through Oorah, as part of its disbursement of charitable money it took in from car donations.
..... In May, [2026] A California judge found Kars4Kids guilty of deceptive advertising and barred it form using its infamous jingle in that state for the foreseeable future. Shortly after, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's largest public broadcasts network, announced it was pulling all Kars4Kids ads nationwide, citing the judge's ruling hat its ads were deceptive.
..... A review of Junk for Joy's recored since forming six years ago reveals that while it has taken in more than $4.4 million in contributions - most of it form donated vehicles - no money was given to any charity, a practice nonprofit experts said constitutes a form of "fraud."
..... Instead, the organization overseen by President Eliyohu Mintz - who holds a similar post at kars4Kids - has spent more than 88% of its funds on advertising and legal expenses. Kars4Kids also spends more money, 485 of tis revenue, on ads than on charitable giving.
..... Despite numerous attempts to speak with KArs4Kids and Junk for Joy leadership, email and telephone calls were ignored by the organization.
..... "It is very, very off," Cleopatra Charles, a Rutgers University associate professor of nonprofit financial management, said about Junk for Joy's approach. "I don't think I've ever come across that situation. It sounds like it is a regular busies. I would expect that from a business, but nonprofits are not businesses, they are charitable organizations."
..... Doug White, a former director of the nonprofit management program at Columbia University and a Kars4Kids adviser, agreed.
..... "I can't explain this myself," he said in an interview. "It shows no money going toward its mission, all expenses are management or promotional expenses."
..... Junk for Joy and Kars4Kids officials did not respond to repeated request for comment via phone and email. Among those is Mintz, who is listed as president of Junk for Joy and CEO of Kars4Kids. Mintz receives an annual combined salary of $118,250, along with $62,185 of what is described as "nontaxable benefits."
..... Mintz is also listed as residing at addresses for both entities.
..... Tax records for Junk for Joy show Mintz at that entity's address: 3320 Bandolino Lane, Plano, Texas; but also at the address for Kars4Kids: 1805 Swarthmore Lane, Lakewood, N.J.
..... A search of the Bandolino Lane address finds it is the home of Michel Lomner, a Junk for Joy director. A call to that location was answered by Lomner's wife, who provided his cell number. He did not return calls seeking comment.
..... Lomner also has ties to Lakewood, listed in records as having resided on 6th Street in the township.
..... Also linked to Lakewood is fellow Junk for Joy director Menachem Bresler, who has ties to two different Lakewood addresses, on Aspen court and Rose Park Cres, along with a Houston address.
..... The following requisition were sent to leadership of Junk for Joy and Kars4Kids, but were not respond to:
..... Who has received junk for Joy donations? Why was the organization launched when it replicates much of Kars4Kids petitions? And why it was done in Texas?
..... Since Junk for Joy launched in 2020, it has received $4,457,932 in r4evenue, with most of it - $3,232,779 - coming from donated-cars that are later sold.
..... Similar to Kars4Kids, those who donate are given a receipt used to receive a tax deduction for the sales price of the sold vehicle, IRS statute allows car donors to receive a tax deduction based on the price paid for the vehicle when it is ultimate sold, usually for scrap or reuse, according to officials.
..... The nonprofit has also received nearly $2.5 million in cash and loans from Oorach, the Lakewood-based multi-million-dollar charity that received nearly all of tis funding from Kars4Kids. It is not clear why Ooach gave its affiliate the money or how the loan was sued. Attempts to speak with Mintz and others at both entities were unsuccessful.
..... Most of the Junk for Joy spending, about $3.9 million, has gone for advertising and Google placements.
..... "That is fraud to take money for something and then not spend it on what you said you would, said William Brown, director of Texas A&M University's Center for Nonsupports & Philanthropy.
..... "They should be doing things to demonstrate that something of value incoming out of this."
..... While Brown said there is no legal deadline for a nonprofit entity to spend the money it raise, he said no such activity in four years "suggests an unethical practice. It is not good for general nonprofit organizations and it is not good for the industry."

Texas a prime spot for car donations

..... Texas is among the states with the most car donations organizations - from Make-A-Wish to Goodwill Indus tires - according to experts who content it's a prime location for such charities because of a large population that uses many vehicles for business and statewide travel.
..... "We have junked cars parked all over the place, everyone has a truck siting there, Brown said about the Texas market. "that is not an uncommon site."
..... Asked why Kars4Kids, which already operates in Texas as well as every state in the United States and beyond, would launch a similar organization under a different name there. Brown said they might wish to differentiate from the larger brand given some bad publicity.
..... "It is a competitive market," Brown said. "sometimes organizations will form a secondary organization to be the alternative, they are tier won competition so people feel like they have a choice."
..... Charity Navigator, a nonprofit watchdog group, give Junk for Joy 1 out of 4 stars, rating its financial helaht as "poor" and stating its accountability and governance "needs improvement."
..... The Texas Comptroller's Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety, both of which conduct investigations of nonprofits and other similar entities, said no current reviews of Junk for Joy are underway.
..... The Texas Attorney General's Office did not respond to several request for information on any tonging probes of Junk for Joy.
..... Kars4Kids itself has come under severe scrutiny in the past, a recent Asbury Park Press Investigation has found, mostly for misleading would-be donors.
..... In 2009, when Kars4Kids also sued the named Joy for Youth, investigation by state officials in Pennsylvanian and Oregon prompted rebukes and more than $100,000 in fines, according to Charitywatch.org .
..... Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson criticized Kars4Kids in a 2017 report that cited its failure to disclose religious ties, while Charitywatch.org stated the organization deceives potential donors "by failing to inform them that donated cars will benefit a Jewish organization and Kids of Jewish faith."
.... Earlier in June [2026] a California judge found KArs4Kids guilty of deceptive adverting and barred it from using its infamous jingle in that state for the foreseeable future.
.... In addition, the court ordered Kars4Kids to reimburse a man for the value of his donated vehicle, a move legal experts say could force Kars4Kids to reimburse thousands of past donors if they can prove they were misled.
.... Charity experts and observers have said Kars4Kids ads and its jingles give the mis-impression that the organization's fundraising goes to help all kids and only kids.
..... Their ads and promotions do not mention most of the funding goes toward Jewish-relate charities that promote Jewish theology and also offer program strictly for adults, including an adult dating retreat.
..... A newer federal lawsuit said Kars4Kidsads are deceptive and accuses the charity of mail and wire fraud, while three state governments investigation have found that Kars4Kids had not properly informed would-be donors that they were contributing to a religious organizing.

Junk for Joy pas Google

..... Junk for Joy spent nearly all of its funds $3.9 million on advertising, with about $800,000 paid to Google, while three Texas radio stations received $200,000 each in 2023 and 2024 for related ads.
..... Only one of the stations, WBAP in Dallas, respond to inquiries about the radio ads. General sales Manage Dan Storrs said only that the charity no longer adverses on the station, but had no information on the past ads. stating he had joined the station this year. [2026]
..... Representatives of the other two radio stations KTCK in Dallas and KTRH-AM in Houston, did not respond to request for comment and information.
..... A Junk for Joy video ad was found on YouTube, but no information about its origin or where it might have aired was found.
..... That ad offers kids singing a jingle similar to Kars4Kids, but gives no indication of where its donations would go. The children sing only "donate to Junk for Joy, donate to Junk for Joy, donate your car today to Junk for Joy."
..... It is the only such ad on the junk for Joy YouTube channel.
..... Junk for Joy is not the only connection Kars4Kids has had in Texas. The charity was involved in a legal battle with a rival group based in Dallas, Cars for Kids.
..... Kars4Kids won a significant count victory against Cars for Kids in 2024, claiming its name was too similar and constituted copyright infringement.
..... A federal appeals court rule din favor of Kars4Kids, dissing a lower court judgment that had favored the Texas outlet.

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