Nice Guys of San Diego

Our family experienced an unemployment hardship last year when my husband lost his job, which was our sole source of income. I wrote to the San Diego Nice Guys for help with car repairs for a blown head gasket and they responded that they would like to help but that the repairs would need to be assessed and completed by their mechanic. The repairs at a regular mechanic would be several thousand dollars (I had checked) and the local community college quoted me a price of around $ 50-​$ 200 (parts only) because they don’t charge labor. Unfortunately the community college wasn’t offering that auto class that semester. I felt that the San Diego Nice Guys could put their money to better use elsewhere and I would wait until the next semester to have my car repaired but I was touched at their offer of help.
We are a middle class family who actively donates to charities and volunteers many hours with local organizations but this reversal of circumstances caused our family of six to reach out for help because we were struggling to survive on a meager $ 450 a week in unemployment. The Nice Guys also invited us to their Christmas Celebration downtown and our four children enjoyed food, rides, free books, and the Walmart gift card and Christmas dinner fixings were greatly appreciated. In the spirit of goodwill we used half of the gift card to buy gifts for children of families in our Church who were experiencing similar hardships, through our church angel tree program. I am grateful for the time and donations of the many generous people who made Christmas a little brighter in our home. Even greater was the faith and hope they brought to our home by letting us know that someone cared.

Good Luck Being called back. They selectively respond to individuals. I guess you may have to be some scam non profit organization president in order to get assistance. I wrote to this organization in desperate need of any kind of help they could provide being that I’m out of work due to illness. They have yet to respond but, I hear so many bragging how great this organization is but, Unfortunately they haven’t responded to me. My faith is still in hopes of receiving help although it just doesn’t seem like it.

Grateful for this organization and the people who participate in it, who donate their own time and money, to those, who are in need, in difficult situations. Thank you San Diego Nice Guys for caring enough to give back and many well wishes to those they are able to help.

This is a good charitable organization. Business men and women who volunteer their time to raise money for those in need. They have been around for 30 years. They hold dinners and auctions to get donations and use business connections to find donors as well. The members are from all business backgrounds with the common goal of raising money for charity. They receive hundreds of requests of all kind from various people in need. They have a reviewing committee that evaluates the requests and an executive committee that does a final review. One of my relatives was president of this organization back in the 1980’s and was very involved and volunteered a lot of time and money. I feel bad that the other reviewer did not get help from the Nice Guys, but you have to understand that this group only has a limited amount of money and tons of requests. They can never meet all requests because of limited resources. They have review panels and several people on each panel that vote on who they will help. This panels are made up of old men, old women, young men, young women, gays, poor people, rich people, lawyers (yuk), doctors, auto repair men, every type of person is in this group. There is not a bunch of anti-​gay people hoping to reject a request to help a gay person.
I know if they could help every person they would, but they are limited by how much money they have. When you ask for help, give details of your need and how their help will be of benefit… and that you are a long time member of the community, have helped others, etc. as you mention in the evaluation. The more they know the more they have to evaluate on.
It is too bad that some jerk stole the car… it is too bad that everyone does not have the food, shelter, transportation, etc. that they need to survive and be happy… life sucks. But don’t give up… try asking again or try other resources and hopefully you will find help.
Don’t take it personally that they did not help this time.